Sculpting Social Conscience: Insecurity and Marginalisation in Nigeria through the Work Area Boys

This paper investigates the representation of insecurity and marginalisation in Nigeria through the practice-based sculpture Area Boys. The study examines the social phenomenon of street boys locally referred to as Area Boys whose emergence reflects the consequences of poverty, neglect, and failed governance. Through a creative process rooted in material symbolism and social engagement, the paper explores how sculpture functions as both a mirror and critique of societal decay. The study draws upon the artistic traditions of social commentary by sculptors such as Willie Bester, Pablo Picasso, René Iché, Ai Weiwei, El Anatsui, Sokari Douglas Camp, Yinka Shonibare, and Louise Bourgeois, among others. These artists demonstrate how visual forms can translate oppression, violence, and alienation into critical discourse. Using practice-based research and critical visual analysis, the paper interprets Area Boys, constructed from welded steel, spark plugs, boilers, and rubber, as a sculptural metaphor for dispossession and resilience. The study concludes that sculpture can serve as a tool for advocacy and civic consciousness, transforming aesthetic practice into a platform for social change.