SCULPTURAL INTERPRETATION OF GENESIS 2:7 AS A TOOL FOR CREATIVE SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIAN VOCATIONAL AND FINE ARTS EDUCATION

Abstract

Genesis 2:7 provide one of the most vivid and personal accounts of the origin of man in the Hebrew Bible. The verse present humanity as being formed from עָפָר  (ʿāphār, dust) of the ground, mould and shaped by God who יָצַר  (yāṣar, forms), and brought to life through נְשָׁמָה (nešāmâ, breath). The imagery is physical and intimate, presenting human life as both earthly and divinely sustained. This study explored how that theological vision can meaningfully inform sculpture practice within Nigerian vocational and fine arts education. The study offers a close exegetical reading of Genesis 2:7 with attention to its key Hebrew terms; to reflect on the theological significance of divine formation and embodied life; to examine how sculptural processes especially in clay and other earth derived materials resonate with the biblical portrayal of humanity. The study combines biblical exegesis with reflective, practice led inquiry in art education. The text is studied within its literary and theological context, while sculptural formation is approached as a site of disciplined, material reflection. The study findings show that Genesis 2:7 presents a unified understanding of the human person as shaped matter enlivened by divine gift. The verb יָצַר (yāṣar) emphasizes intentional craftsmanship; עָפָר  (ʿāphār) grounds humanity in material origin and humility; and נְשָׁמָה  (nešāmâ) affirms life as something received. When read alongside sculpture practice, these themes take on practical weight. The shaping of clay, the correction of form, and the discipline required to complete a figure mirror, in limited but meaningful ways, the biblical language of formation. Studio work thus becomes more than technical training; it becomes an avenue for reflecting on human identity, fragility, and responsibility. The study concluded that the movement from dust to life provides a compelling idea for linking theology and artistic practice. By integrating exegetical reflection into sculpture curricula and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, Nigerian vocational and fine arts education can cultivate deeper intellectual engagement and creative awareness. Genesis 2:7 does not only speak about the beginning of humanity; it also invites thoughtful consideration of what it means to shape and to be shaped of being earth formed by purpose and sustained by breath.