ABSTRACT
This study Balance and Stability in the exploration of Equestrian Forms with Charcoal in Sculpture seek to use charcoal to project solid balance and stability in equestrian forms with minimum contacts with the pedestals. The problem of the study is the weight of media and procedural challenges which have caused sculptors to use several points of contacts between the base and the forms for support and consequently restraining the dynamic actions of the equestrian forms. Therefore this study aimed at projecting a seeming delicate but permanent balance and stability of the equestrian form so as to grab hold of the natural qualities of its movements and actions. The research started by looking at the works of artists who had attempted to solve the problems of balance and stability in the equestrian form in their own ways which led to the evaluation of their works. However, the review indicates that the weights and complicacies of media like concrete, stone, bronze, metal, etc. could not allow the artists to express the forms with sufficient independence on the pedestals hence the use of charcoal to resolve the issue. The methodology used for this research was practice-led. The researcher made use of photographs of the mounted and free horses from different sources. Some of the photographs were taken at Zaria polo club while images and information from books, the internet, theses, journals, the magazines and motion pictures were also used. The instruments that were used for the collection of data included camera, pens, and sketch pads while the commercially available charcoal was used as the medium of expression. Data collected were analyzed in different stages i.e.; Representational Studies: this stage saw the production of sculptures that captured the equestrian forms in naturalistic manner. Transition Studies: sculptures from this category are a shift from the natural form into a simple dissection of some particular portions of the equestrian forms. Abstract Studies: this stage saw the production of vii sculptures that grow out from the perceived reality of the equestrian forms and metamorphose into a simple imposition of charcoal forms on one another to communicate. Different sizes of individual charcoal lumps were carefully set up until the envisaged forms were attended.