October in Lagos was charged with electric anticipation for ART X Lagos, and the G.A.S. and Y.S.F. teams spent the month in preparation for their annual Lagos Art Tour. The first residents to join ART X Prize Winner, Belinda Kazeem, that month were Karl Ohiri, and Riikka Kassinen of Lagos Studio Archives. The duo arrived in Nigeria to continue their exploration of the Abi Morocco Photo Archive, a historic photography studio based in Lagos, Nigeria that ran from 1970 until 2006, capturing historic scenes of Nigerian social life.

After careful consideration of the 160 applications received, we are thrilled to announce the selection of three winners. Two of these talented individuals will be embarking on their residencies at G.A.S. Lagos, while the third will have the unique opportunity to create at our sister location, the G.A.S. Ecology Green Farm in Ijebu.

Hosted by G.A.S. Lagos in conjunction with Vleeshal Center for Contemporary Art, On Play is the last phase of a long-term collaboration between artist, curator and G.A.S. trustee Temitayo Ogunbiyi and Vleeshal's nomadic curators Nomaduma Rosa Masilela and Thiago de Paula Souza.

G.A.S. Foundation is pleased to invite you to an artist talk with our current resident, Leo Robinson, a Glasgow-based multimedia artist. During the discursive event, Leo will discuss his work from the last two years through the framework of imaginary cultures and rituals, and ways in which new narratives can function as resistance against displacement and repression/oppression.

In the world of endangered archives, the challenges are as diverse as the records themselves. In late October, Karl Ohiri (one half of Lagos Studio Archives) and founder of Archivi.ng Fu'ad Lawal co-hosted an engaging talk and open discussion centred around two ambitious archiving initiatives dedicated to preserving Nigeria's rich cultural heritage. This event shed light on the impact of Lagos Studio Archives Projects and Archivi.ng, encouraging us to reflect on the vital importance of safeguarding cultural history for both current and future generations. 

Belinda Kazeem-Kamiński, a multifaceted artist, writer, and scholar, invited fellow creatives to participate in an enriching writing workshop during her residency at G.A.S. Lagos. This workshop aimed to utilize writing for refining and amplifying creative concepts. Belinda shared invaluable insights on harnessing writing as a potent tool to sharpen artistic vision, and shared tips and tricks for navigating application processes.

Renowned artist Gareth Jeremy Nyandoro, hailing from Zimbabwe, embarks on a two-phased residency at G.A.S. Foundation's Lagos and Ijebu centers. With a profound love for exploring the urban tapestry and human interactions, Gareth's creative practice delves into the vibrant landscapes of cities and their inhabitants. His expertise in trade, commerce, and marketplace dynamics has paved the way for unique artistic expressions, merging abstraction with the intricate details of human figures.

September proved to be an exciting opening to a second year of residencies at G.A.S Foundation, Y.S.F.’s sister organisation located in Nigeria.

Activities kicked off with the arrival of Okiki Akinfe, a UK-based visual artist and Royal College of Art alum supported by G.A.S.’s Residency Patronage Programme. Time in Lagos enabled Okiki new opportunities to explore the Yoruba traditional corpus and strengthen her current creative practice of using world-building to subvert narratives surrounding Black existence.

On Friday, October 6th, Stephen Friedman Gallery's new London location on Cork Street, Mayfair, will unveil an exciting exhibition titled 'Free The Wind, The Spirit, and The Sun,' featuring new work by Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. The exhibition also showcases a diverse group of African artists and talents from the African diaspora, curated by Shonibare himself. Among these individuals are upcoming residents and alumni who have participated in the G.A.S. residency program over the past year. 'Free The Wind, The Spirit, and The Sun' is a testament to the diverse range of disciplines explored during these residencies, encompassing paintings, sculptures, mixed media pieces, and works on paper.

G.A.S. Lagos is pleased to be hosting Lagos Studio Archives, a joint multidisciplinary practice belonging to Karl Riikka, and Ohiri Kassinen. Their practice comprises visual arts, photography, and research, will embark on a month-long residency in Lagos, aiming to unearth the story of Abi Morocco Photos, a historic photographic studio. Their primary focus is on the studio's formative decade, marked by remarkable black-and-white studio portraits and vernacular photography from the 1970s.

The Art Exchange: Moving Image programme is a collaborative and cross-cultural curatorial professional development and exhibition programme for early to mid-career visual arts curators from Sub-Saharan Africa working with moving image. The programme is supported by the British Council and organised by LUX, the UK agency for the support and promotion of artists working with moving image, Yinka Shonibare Foundation and Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation, Nigeria. During 2023-2024 LUX and Guest Artists Space Foundation will work with curators in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop a series of exhibition projects responding to moving image works in the British Council Collection. Following the open call, we are excited to announce the winning participants in the programme.

The Art Exchange: Moving Image programme is a collaborative and cross-cultural curatorial professional development and exhibition programme for early to mid-career visual arts curators from Sub-Saharan Africa working with moving image. The programme is supported by the British Council and organised by LUX, the UK agency for the support and promotion of artists working with moving image, Yinka Shonibare Foundation and Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation, Nigeria.

The six winning curators, select through an open call, receive mentoring support from LUX and G.A.S., and a dedicated programme of professional development and networking opportunities. These activities are delivered alongside a fully-funded research trip to the UK in Autumn 2023, an opportunity to work with moving image works in the British Council visual arts collection as well as logistical and financial support to stage a final exhibition. They also receive a curatorial fee and their host venue will receive funding for the exhibition staging.