In conclusion of her research residency at G.A.S. Lagos, Mobolaji Ogunrosoye hosted an intimate, female-centered dinner and film screening of Black Girl (1966), the groundbreaking work by Senegalese director, producer, and writer Ousmane Sembène. Adapted from a short story in Sembène’s 1962 collection Voltaique, the film narrates the poignant tale of Diouana, a young Senegalese woman who moves to Antibes, France, as a nanny for a wealthy family. Her dreams of a cosmopolitan life are shattered as she finds herself confined to the role of a domestic servant, enduring mistreatment from her employers.

On December 12th, Yinka Shonibare Foundation hosted its annual Patrons & Alumni Winter Soirée at Autograph, London, celebrating the Spirit of Lagos exhibition, co-curated by Autograph Senior Curator, Bindi Vora, and G.A.S. alumni, Lagos Studio Archives (a curatorial collective consisting of Karl Ohiri and Riikka Kassinen).

The soirée began with an insightful guided tour of Spirit of Lagos by Senior Curator Bindi Vora, illuminating the exhibition’s nuanced portrayal of Lagos as a city of contrasts—dynamic, layered, and deeply inspiring. Guests were then treated to an engaging walkthrough of Rotimi Fani-Kayode: The Studio – Staging Desire, led by Autograph’s Director, Professor Mark Sealy, offering a reflective lens on Fani-Kayode’s groundbreaking exploration of desire, identity, and self-fashioning. The evening concluded with festive drinks and light refreshments, fostering meaningful dialogue between Patrons, Trustees, and alumni, alongside the Foundation’s Founder, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. This gathering exemplified the collaborative spirit underpinning our residencies, championing art as a vehicle for critical reflection and cultural exchange.

Join us at G.A.S. Lagos on December 19th for Primitive Hypertext, a presentation and hands-on workshop in collaborative storytelling and printing, led by current resident, Avery Youngblood. This event will highlight Avery's residency research which has explored how obsolete technologies influence contemporary creative practices and the interplay between memory, archives, and interconnected ways of thinking. 

This December, we are thrilled to host our final resident of the year, Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Mobolaji Ogunrosoye, as she undertakes a two-week research fellowship at G.A.S. Lagos. Known for a distinct visual language that intersects photography and collage, Mobolaji's practice critically delves into themes of selfhood, body image, and the societal forces that shape identity in West African women both on the continent and in the diaspora. A central focus of her current research is investigating how transparent materials can be used as innovative tools in collage-making. By incorporating these materials, Mobolaji seeks to add new layers of meaning, depth, and dimensionality to her work, pushing the boundaries of traditional collage techniques while exploring the interplay between opacity, translucence, and the stories embedded within her compositions.

This autumn, the G.A.S. Foundation hosted residencies in Lagos and Ibadan for artists Shabu Mwangi, Liz Kobusinge, Theophilus Imani, Kosisochukwu Nnebe, Ofem Ubi, Avery Youngblood, and Osei Bonsu. Their practices—spanning painting, sculpture, eco-printing, and visual research—engaged with themes of postcolonial histories, cultural memory, and social change. These residencies culminated in a series of public events that showcased their diverse creative inquiries, with each artist offering a unique perspective through their work.

Guest Artists Space Foundation (G.A.S.) in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.) is thrilled to announce the third edition of the prestigious G.A.S. Fellowship Award. This year, two fully-funded six-week residencies at G.A.S. Lagos are being offered to outstanding mid-career professionals based and actively working on the African continent: one residency for a mid-career visual fine artist and one residency for a mid-career curator.

On December 13th, G.A.S. Lagos hosted Functions of Humor, a talk and writing workshop led by two-time G.A.S. resident Ofem Ubi, alongside acclaimed Nigerian-British artist, film director, photographer, and poet Joladé Olusanya. The event began with a presentation in which Ofem spoke on humor’s transformative power, drawing from his eight-week residency at the G.A.S. Farm House in Ijebu. He explored how humor functions as a universal coping mechanism amidst societal and economic challenges such as rising insecurity and inflation whilst questioning whether it is in fact, a finite resource.

As we near the close of another dynamic year filled with programming and residencies, we’re thrilled to share upcoming and current exhibitions and presentations by our G.A.S. alumni. By the end of 2024, the Foundation will have hosted 71 residents since programming launched in May 2022, and we’re excited to continue following the inspiring journeys of our alumni.