As in Sculpture so in Architecture: A Treatise for Local Aesthetic Philosophy in Public Space Design. Adejumo, Tunji Department of Urban and Regional Planning University Of Lagos, Akoka. Lagos. Tel. +234 803 443 1439 tadejumo@unilag.edu.ng. ABSRACT Western picturesque discourse oscillated from classical notion of “as in painting, so in poetry” to the romantic concepts of “as in poetry, so in painting” and then to “as in painting, so in architecture”. This paper explores Yoruba sculpture art philosophy to theorize design principles that may be used in contemporary sense of place conscious urban green infrastructure hubs resilient to cultural dynamism. Unlike Western aesthetic philosophy Yoruba, indeed African, aesthetic ideology did not reside in the form of art works but in “behaviour in beauty Synthesis”. Preference is given to inner beauty which is the real essence of art works. It is a general consensus that art works have in built life force (ase) that drives the religious and corresponding socio-political activities. Since ‘ase’ is defined as life force, it is the same as ‘prana’, ‘chi’, ‘aura’ or ‘subtle earth energy’. ‘Ase’ is therefore the fundamental Yoruba aesthetical tool that artists used to trigger emotional response from the viewers. Public spaces design proposition focus on making available ‘ase’ on the landscape for the wellbeing of the people. The landscape is therefore liable to manipulation during design process to achieve desired harmony through the appropriate placement of ‘shape powers’ including Yoruba cosmogram, iconographic motifs, symbols, signs, chosen form and cultural colour scheme to harness desired earth energies. ‘Ase’ centred Yoruba environmental design proposition, like other forms of landscape, is a cultural construct reflecting underpinning ideologies in local place development that should enhance attachment. KEY WORDS: Picturesque, Sculpture, Aesthetic, ‘Ase’, Shape Power 1. Introduction Anthropological definition of architecture as ‘whatever was and is built by man and his immediate predecessor’ liberalised architecture from the narrow grip of human shelter conceptualisation to make sense out of cities as the centres of creativity and innovation (Egenta, 1992). Urban centres and its constituents including buildings, infrastructures, furniture, and public realm can then be viewed as products of prevailing art paradigm. Nesting public spaces, indeed cities, on art philosophy is a recurrence decimal in history. Neo classic formal gardens, romantic landscapes and picturesque spatial concepts are all rooted in poetry, landscape painting principles and Western aesthetic theories. The recent contention of functionalists’ utilitarian misconstruction of Louis Sullivan skyscraper dictum found rest within the context of American Transcendentalist philosophy (Weingarden, 2009). Form follows function through this window was never classicism but rooted on the notion of picturesque discourse of that era that oscillated from classical notion of “as in painting, so in poetry” to the romantic concepts of “as in poetry, so in painting” and then to “as in painting, so in architecture” which ultimately lead to the idea of “architecture as poetry” (Weingarden, 2009). Romanticism and subsequently picturesque influenced downsizing of rational classic thinking of Renaissance era and opted for intrinsic aesthetics embedded in nature in the conceptualisation of built environment. Landscape in romantic images is not only about the physical scenes but also meaning adduced through cultural lens. The physical fits into pictorial aesthetics perceived by outsiders. Such views were imitated in the designed landscape of the era. Aesthetic perspective in romanticism stressed the importance of inherent value in nature based on the viewers’ experience of the landscape quality. Values in nature are then individually driven and there is no uniform value based criteria (Beverly, 1963). These dualistic scenic appreciation principles paved way for picturesque as Western landscape aesthetic philosophy. Picturesque paradigm is traceable to 18th century English aesthetic theorists and landscape painters. The aesthetic theorists defined picturesque as an aesthetic quality entrenched in landscapes “characterized by irregularity, roughness, and variety of form, colour, and texture and their resulting effects of light and shade” (Wright, 1984). Picturesque theorists recommended prevailing landscape painting approach to gardeners as a guide to achieving much desired natural aesthetics outdoors. Picturesque in design works imitate landscape painting techniques based on composition, harmony of colours, unity of material characters and effects of light and shadow in the spatial definition of outdoors over and above abstract standards of geometric lines of previous classical era. Picturesque painting, garden and architecture philosophy celebrated individuality, originality, uniqueness and spirituality in design thinking process that respected harmony with nature. It is adopting natural aesthetics parameters as Western aesthetics values. If the interface of nature, poetry and painting arts laid foundation for global north architecture aesthetic philosophy what then drove sculpture arts works in Yoruba nation? Can the underpinning sculptural arts aesthetic ideology make a meaning in the conceptualisation of contemporary public sphere? Yoruba people occupy south western geopolitical area of Nigeria with a population of about 35 million. Pre-colonial Yoruba natural landscape is a high bio diverse rainforest selectively cleared to accommodate sedentary peasant agriculture way of life and with socio-religious respect for bio geographic components of the eco-region. The paper explored Yoruba sculpture art principles to theorize design principles that may be used in contemporary sense of place conscious urban green infrastructure hubs resilient to cultural dynamism. Yoruba sculptural arts interpretation works of Lawal, (2012); Omojola, (2010); Oloruntoba-Oju, (2007); Ademuleya, (2007); Abiodun, (2001); and Segy, (1975) are considered relevant for this paper. 2.0 African Sculptural Arts The aesthetic, cultural, historical and political biases that established Western aesthetic framework has zero tolerance for global south beauty philosophy. This is true of African arts often classified as meaningless, primitive and devoid of thought pattern. The drawn conclusion emanated from European aesthetic philosophy that have been driving rigid visual preferences employed as the only window to evaluate art and architectural principles of non-western nations. These assertions were heightened by the absence of literary documents in sub Saharan Africa, reliance on oral tradition and lack of calendar that emphasised the importance of history. The philosophy behind art works in Africa is not individually driven to exhibit physical beauty (Plates 1 and 2). Rather the underpinning philosophy is based on the social, political, religious and community inclinations that are emotionally represented (Abiodun, 2001). A major problem confronting art critics is using Western art template to judge African art works. It is resonating many submissions that African art should not be subjected to western aesthetic art theory because artworks are conceived as four-dimensional objects in which matter is only the vehicle of life force (Ademuleya, 2007; Abiodun, 2001; and Segy, 1975). Plate 1: Obatala Plate 2: Gelede Head Dress Critical appraisal of these arts therefore calls for an approach that put the work in the contextual environment. Anthropological approach stresses ethnic backgrounds of the art works with emphasis on its socio-cultural functions is interesting (Segy, 1975). This option provides a broad window to relate sculptures to their cultural setting, throwing more light on why it was done. Abiodun (2001) submission is that visual arts function essentially as Yoruba oral poetic genres including ‘hunter’s poem’, ‘praise poetry’ and ‘Ifá divination poetry’. Yoruba poetic genres are charged by “life force” referred to as ‘ase’. Abiodun (2001) defined ‘ase’ as “life force, which manifests itself in an aesthetics context as a forceful, exuberant, and expansive style”. ‘Ase’ is translated as either power, authority, command sceptre, spiritual energy or vital force. Yoruba people belief that ‘ase’ (spiritual energy) is given to everything by the Creator of the universe. Ase is in everything animate and inanimate including plants, animals, people, spoken words, prayers, songs, rocks, hills, rivers and other geomorphic formations. Existence is dependent upon ase’ because ’ase’ is the power to make things happen and change. Visual artists including sculptors and painters have the capacity to infuse desired ‘ase’ into his works, This is achieved through the use of the artist’s design consciousness to specify colours, patterns, motifs and desired aspect of the artwork to communicate its intangible life force with potent visual impact. African art works should therefore be seen at the dimension of the soul analysing the carrying life force as against physical aesthetics. Suffice to highlight the place of communal world view in African art works. Community oriented art principle constitutes the nucleus of discipline in non-western traditional arts. Sculptural arts in Africa are therefore for community benefits. That is why sculptors like other artists in Africa are anonymous since their works are not for individual benefit (Lawal, 2012, Abioidun 2001; and Segy, 1975). A lineage of artist, in a tribe, sustainably replicate the same carving sharing socio-religious values from one generation to the other (Plate 3). Unlike symbol base Eurocentric carvings, these sculptures are elevated to the level of spirit beings. Evaluating these art works on Eurocentric aesthetic templates leads to false results. The true evaluation demands understanding aboriginal aesthetic philosophy. Plate 3: Typical Community Sculptor at Work 2.1 Yoruba Aesthetic Philosophy Research works in Yoruba aesthetic philosophy is rooted in her Ifa mythology of earth creation when Obatala ( the artist deity) moulded first human for Alakaiye (the orisa of tools and weapons) to put finishing torches to the form before Olodumare (Supreme God) infused life force (ase) to become a living entity (Lawal, 2012 and Abiodun, 2001 ). Human body on this platform is seen as “ a kinetic sculpture, activated by ase, the vital force, concealing and revealing the soul in the physical world, and enabling an individual to have physical existence”(Lawal, 2012). The makeup of physical existence constitutes human character and has profound effect in Yoruba aesthetics philosophy. Lawal (2012) and Abiodun (2001) submissions are that Yoruba idea of beauty (ewa) has two realities, namely external beauty (ewa ode) and inner beauty (ewa inu). Inner beauty (ewa inu) is achieved through character (iwa) which Lawal (2012) referred to as character influenced by deeper existentialities. Existentialities is the intangible inner essence of each creature. Culturally, Yoruba consider inner beauty to be superior and preferred to external beauty. This is summed up as “behaviour in beauty” aesthetic philosophy (Oloruntoba-Oju, 2007; Abiodun, 2001; Lawal, 2012; and Segy, 1975). In art works, preferred inner beauty is the object’s functionality, utility and effectiveness driven by infused energy (ase) for political, social, historical and often religious purposes. Therefore traditional sculptors and other artists in Yoruba nation associate creativity with sublime not only to create physical form but much more to link physical to metaphysical and human to divine entity. This demands that artists partake in priesthoods knowledgeable technically and most importantly in African culture, cosmology, cosmogram, iconographic motifs, symbols and signs to communicate desired essence – the life force. It is the life force (ase) that drives the religious and corresponding socio-political activities. ‘Ase’ is therefore the fundamental Yoruba aesthetical tool that artists use to trigger emotional response from the viewers. Since ‘ase’ is defined as life force, it is the same as ‘prana’ in Hindu, ‘aura’ or ‘subtle earth energy’ in English, ‘Chi’ in Chinese, ‘ki’ in Japanese, and ‘zero point energy’ in physics 3. Somancy and Geomancy Acupuncture, the Chinese natural healing system is based on subtly energy that flows along the human meridian system. Professional Chinese healers rely on somancy - the divination of human body secrets to locate the meridians and energy nodes where the ‘chi’ can be manipulated through the use of special needles to enhance human wellbeing. Like human body, research works recently discovered age old knowledge that planet earth is a maze of subtle energy lines and nodes that influence the wellbeing of the biosphere. The energy corridors are called ley lines. At the intersections of two leylines are the electromagnetic vortexes also known as domes. Leylines and the tides of electromagnetic forces have in built capability that affects human consciousness (Newman, 2008). Beside leylines are other subtle energy corridors including Curry lines, Hartmann Lines, Schumann Waves, Black Lines and planetary grid system. Newman (2008) submission is that man often feels ‘connected’ and has spiritual experiences’ at certain spots on the landscape. If ancient sites, temples and holy places were built on the leylines and high energy vortexes, then there is a strong relationship between two bodies of electromagnetic energy systems namely human energy system divined through somancy and planetary system divined through geomancy. The energy flow is through the two vortexes and the relationship demands harmonious energy sharing in a state of equilibrium for the wellbeing of human consciousness. Jami (1995) earth design, Chinese Feng Shui and Indian Vatshtu Shatra site planning focus on getting man to draw positive strengthen from earth subtle energy system through landscape design manipulation. Davidson (1997) dissertation on ‘shape power’ will shed more light on how subtle earth energy can be manipulated and diverted into manmade structures for desired beneficial values. 3.1 ‘Shape Power’ in Geomantic Planning Process Davidson (1997) submission is that any space is permeated by earth energy that can be manipulated positively or otherwise. Such local space energy he called “aether” – a scientific name for ‘prana’, ‘aura’, ‘Chi’, ‘ki’, ‘zero point energy’ and ‘ase’. He opined that “Aetheric energy can be scooped, directed, focused, flowed, intensified, and in general controlled by geometrical shapes and patterns, mind and thought (visualization); and that aetheric energy in its myriad forms is the basic life force of the universe”. The ability to use multidimensional shapes in manipulating local space energy is what Davidson (1997) defined as ‘shape power’. Manipulated ether enhance quality of life, improve homes and offices for human wellbeing. Shapes that define spaces is more than functional spatial boundaries and aesthetic embellishers. Rather the shapes redefine and redirect subtle earth energy to be harnessed by the users towards a meaningful life. The use of ‘shape powers’ in spatial configuration is not recent. Cones, pyramids, cross, crescent, Star of David, squares and triangles common symbols in history had been used to manipulate beneficial aether values. Feng Shui and Vastu Shatra geomantic geographic acupuncture system adopted the location of houses, landscape elements as shape powers to channel beneficial ‘chi’ for harmonious living. Every matter has ‘ase’ within the greater ‘ase’ in a defined space. ‘Ase’ is the divine essence emanating from the fusion of physical materials and metaphysical concepts in Yoruba arts driving the religious, social and cultural activities. Yoruba cosmogram, iconographic motifs, symbols, signs, chosen form and cultural colour schema constitute ‘shape powers’ to communicate desired ‘ase’. 4. Yoruba Geomantic 0pen Space Principles -- The Treatise The adoption of Yoruba aesthetic philosophy in the spatial conceptualisation of public spaces is to make available the intrinsic ‘ase’ in contextual rain forest bioregion for the wellbeing of urban people. It is an attempt in generating harmonious interaction between the ecosystem structure’s ‘ase’ for sustainable green infrastructure hubs. Theoretically, traditional sculptors associate creativity with sublime to create physical form, link physical to metaphysical and human to divine entity. Considering this approach would guide landscape architects and allied environmental professionals in the conceptualisation of public spaces meaningful to the people. This demands a four level thinking process namely geomantic analysis of given sites, detailed comprehension of proposed community activities, location of ‘shape powers’ to manipulate subtle earth energy relative to activities and accommodation of cultural dynamism in cosmopolitan 21st century cities (Figure 1). Geomantic planning is worldview approach to harmonious living with nature. Nature being both material structure of the ecosystem and intangible framework that drives it. Geomantic site analysis identify types of energy line, vortexes, orientation, electromagnetic flow and potency. Geomantic analysis compliment standard site analysis to create activity nodes harmonious to inherent ‘ase’ in a defined space. Communal influence on traditional public space configuration in indigenous Yoruba cityscape is strong and primarily influenced by unifying religious system. This should be understood from Omojola’s (2010) submission on culture and religious performance within a space. Figure: Four Level Principles While ‘culture’ summarises the socio-cultural obligations of community members during ceremonial activities ‘religion’ is about the belief system and the attendant rituals. Yoruba belief system is myth based with stories woven ‘around a pantheon of gods, mythical figures and legends’ (Omojola, 2010). The numerous deities have varied identities and each with its unique roles either on community, quarter or individual household basis. Whichever urban spatial unit the deities or gods serve, participation in their ceremonial activities is people driven and the essence of the religious activities is to maximise the ‘ase’ in space that the deity “shape power” garner. Cultural dynamism and secularism in State constitution on religious affairs have eroded the dominance of animism and opened Yoruba people to other belief system including Christianity and Islam. ‘Ase’ in a space is not religion bound but geographic and available for whoever desires it. If “religion” in Omojola (2010) submission is removed and substituted with other people driven activity, ‘ase’ in space is still available to be harnessed on social and cultural performance within the spaces using eco-friendly ‘shape powers’. This act does not diminish the culture but should accommodate compatible activities accepted by the people. It gives room for accommodating Walker (2004) contemporary socio-culturally compatible values of public urban parks including provision of recreational facilities and programmes; improvement of quality of urban life; sequestration of excess carbon and other pollutants in urban air space; contribution to the vitality of the community and the wellbeing of the people; contribution to youth’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development; and improvement of community’s life expectancy through healthy leisure services. These values ride on inherent ‘ase’ in urban spaces to positively impact the economy, education, health and people’s social life. The bottom line is grafting them on consciously planned subtle energy landscape. The ‘ase’ in space is manipulated towards the locations of these value driven activities using ‘shape powers’. Cosmogram, iconographic motifs, symbols, signs and cultural colour schema constitute ‘shape powers’ Yoruba sculptors used to infuse ‘ase’ into masks and figurines. Yoruba cosmogram is 16 sided polygons influenced by the 16 divinities in Ifa earth creation mythology (Adejumo & Adebamowo, 2012). Inset in the cosmic form is the square that corresponds to the cardinal points often attached to four primordial deities. The design numerology that carries harmonious essence is 4 and 16 sided or their multiples. Four sided squares and its variables (rectangle) represent the earth and circle the heaven. Yoruba world view associates ‘4’ with productive unity driven by male and female energies (ase) in a state of equilibrium (Ologundudu, 2008). Female energy refers to the earth energy while male energy is the cosmic male energy infused from other members of the universe. These forms and culturally acceptable design numerology are shape powers to redirect ‘ase’ to appropriate activities in the open space. Views and vistas on green lawn base plane are ideal visual communication as well as subtle energy corridor. The advocacy for cosmogram spatial morphology need to take into consideration the importance of informal curvilinear edges finishes using patches of rainforest ecosystem. Introduced eco-friendly transportation corridors between sub activity nodes within a park or ceremonial concourses should also be conceived on curvilinear principles since nature arbours straight line. Imitation of sublime characteristics streams, springs, pond and pool in tropical rainforest is necessary to harmoniously connect to landscape features. Besides the cosmogram form, each of the deity has insignia, colour and culturally interpreted character to identify the type of vibrated ‘ase’ (Table 1). The interpreted characters provide spatial design attributes for the conceptualisation of desired space. Such inferred spatial design qualities may be summed up in poetic expressions or words including awe-inspiring, purity, intelligence and productivity (Simonds, 1961). A deeper meditation on the inferred word is the next step in the translation of spatial design characteristics to line graphic abstraction. These spatial design qualities do not only influence the configuration of space, but also the size and shape. Table 1: Yoruba gods Cardinal Orientation and Interpreted Characteristics S/N Yoruba Principal Deity Cardinal Orientation Primary Color Secondary Color Interpreted Character 1 Orisanla North White Uprightness, purity, 2 Jakuta East Red Off White Action, Danger 3 Alakaiye South Green Black Fertility, Earth, creative finishing 4 Ifa West Brownish green Yellow Wisdom, Earth, Order, Intellectual 5 Esu Intersection Black Red Judgment, Vengeance Studies on the use and relationship to colour shows that human health, morale, emotions, behaviour, and performance are specifically influenced by colour schemes (Daggett & Cobble, 2008). The role of colour specification in environmental design must be understood from the wellbeing of man. Expectations conveyed through colour specification vary with cultural background (Daggett & Cobble, 2008). The expectation is further influenced by belief system and contextual ecosystem. Colour expectation in Yoruba communities is rooted in the symbolic representation of the 4 primordial gods (Orisanla, Ifa, Jakuta and Lakaiye) in the cardinal orientation of the cosmogram (Adejumo & Adebamowo, 2012). Accenting created activity spaces in a park setting with deity’s colour scheme displayed by specified indigenous flowering plant species further manipulate áse’ for space users. Design considerations include informal massing of flowering plants on this cultural colour template in the cardinal directions to create Yoruba place atmosphere. Iconographic and semiotic research works on Yoruba arts revealed meaningful signs, images and symbols as ‘shape power’ in contemporary open space spatial configuration. Typical examples are Jakuta staff and Ogun insignia (Plates 4 and 5). Abstracting these symbols as strategic located public art in parks, plazas and urban places enhance place making. The Yoruba art especially sculpture then becomes a tool for place making - an abstracted ensign of the people translating community art into community space and defining community place making attributes. Identity is critical to place making and is composed of three interrelated elements namely physical features, observable activities and functions and generated meaning often reduced to symbols. Place identity for open space proposition is influenced by cosmic form and including flowering plant clusters, bio diverse rainforest patches, and primordial deity symbols, introduced water bodies, views and curvilinear eco transportation corridors. Observable activities and functions should not be restricted to aboriginal religious rituals but also compatible western recreational features that satisfies the force of cultural dynamism. Meaning is rooted in the beneficial values of entrenched ‘ase’ dispensed by place activities on both individual and communal basis. Plates: 3 Jakuta Staff Plate 4: 4 Lakaiye Insignia 5. Conclusion The ultimate goal of this paper is to evolve an indigenous aesthetic philosophical underpinning for the conceptualisation of public places that exudes local atmosphere with global appeal. The closest to intuitive Yoruba nature influenced landscape design in Western garden planning history is picturesque landscape garden design. Picturesque garden design was an imitation of picturesque landscape painting art birthed by picturesque aesthetic theorists of that generation. Crafting theoretical base for contemporary parks, open spaces and allied green infrastructural hubs in urban landscapes demands cultural interpretation of sculptural art as the prevalent mindscape in pre-colonial Yoruba walled cities. Unlike Eurocentric art works based on Western aesthetic philosophy Yoruba aesthetic ideology did not reside in the form of art works but in “Behaviour in Beauty Synthesis” (Oloruntoba-Oju, 2007; Abiodun, 2001; Lawal, 2012; and Segy, 1975). Preference is given to inner beauty ‘ase’ which is the real essence of art works in Yoruba worldview. Yoruba art practitioners including musicians, poets, sculptors and painters approach beauty from the perspectives of ‘ase’ on the viewers. For the Yoruba people an art object, a setting and a space can lose its aesthetic values if the defining inner essence (ase) is lost. Therefore public space design proposition should be geomantic with focus on making available ‘ase’ (aether) for the wellbeing of the people. Then landscape design is not about individual aesthetic benefit but natural beauty influenced by both individual objects energy field and community aether that emotionally connect man to a higher plane of existence during social, cultural and religious activities. The landscape is therefore liable to manipulation during design process to achieve desired harmony through the appropriate placement of ‘shape powers’ including trees, rocks, water bodies and structures that harness desired earth energies. ‘Ase’ centred Yoruba environmental design proposition, like other forms of landscape, is a cultural construct reflecting underpinning ideologies in local place development that should enhance attachment. The more people–place attachment the less the likelihood of degradation, destruction and conversion on one hand and the higher the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the people. Landscape architects and other environmental designers operating within urban interstitial spaces should see themselves as professional members of the community knowledgeable in proponent’s worldview and saddled with the responsibility of keeping social, cultural, economic and religious engineering with appropriate margin for dynamism. The science of landscape design should then be complimented by the community art and spiritual dimensions. It is in line with Arbab’s (2000) submission on the creation of alternative development strategy that seeks to apply spiritual principles to the transformation of physical, social and economic structures. References Adejumo, T.; Adebamowo, M. (2012). Environmental Harmony and Architecture of ‘Place’ in Yoruba Urbanism. In Hernandez,S.& Brebbia, C.A.(Eds). WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment. ISSN: 1746-448X, Wit Press. Southampton, UK Abiodun, R. (2001). African Aesthetics. Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 35, No. 4. 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