The G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive is delighted to announce the receipt of 43 print materials of Black Orpheus journal, a rare collection of publications from local partner OlongoAfrica. This two year loan will facilitate the work of OlongoAfrica’s Black Orpheus Fellowship, and greatly enhance G.A.S. Foundation’s existing archive collection.

G.A.S. Foundation is proud to announce a new residency partnership with Fondation H, launched in celebration of our founder Yinka Shonibare CBE RA’s major solo exhibition, Safiotra [Hybridités/Hybridities]. Opening on 11th April 2025 at Fondation H in Antananarivo, Madagascar, and running until 28th February 2026, this landmark presentation marks Shonibare’s first major exhibition on the African continent. Taking its title from the Malagasy word safiotra, evoking hybridity, cultural synthesis, and the negotiation of identity, the exhibition spans fifteen years of Yinka Shonibare’s practice. Works on view include signature pieces such as The African Library (2018), part of Fondation H’s permanent collection, alongside recent and site-responsive sculptures, including Refugee Astronaut X (2024).

On the 27th of March 2025, as part of her ongoing residency at G.A.S., London-based ethnobotanist Jonn Gale facilitated a community-based workshop for students from St. John’s Primary School, Ikiṣẹ. The session introduced the young learners to foundational concepts in botany and herbarium collection, offering a hands-on opportunity to explore the natural world and their environment. The workshop formed part of Jonn’s 12-week residency, during which she has been based primarily at the G.A.S. Farm House in Ikiṣẹ. Her research explores traditional plant knowledge, medicinal practices, and ecological systems, bridging ethnobotanical inquiry with local expertise and broader environmental questions.

In December 2024, the G.A.S. Foundation, in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation, announced the call for the third edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award. This year, the award offered two fully-funded six-week residencies at G.A.S. Lagos for outstanding mid-career professionals based in Africa: one for a mid-career visual fine artist and one for a mid-career curator.

The call received over 130 applications from 18 countries across the continent. The selection panel, who carefully reviewed each submission, was impressed by the wealth of talent, as well as the quality and diversity of artistic practices represented. The 2025 Fellows are Shatha Afify, an Egypt-based interdisciplinary artist, storyteller, poet, and thinker, selected as the Visual Arts Fellow, and Dr Tinashe Mushakavanhu, a Zimbabwe-based curator and writer, selected as the Curatorial Fellow. During their residencies, Afify will focus on supporting emerging local talent, while Dr. Mushakavanhu will develop and present a curatorial exhibition.

The G.A.S. Fellowship Award 2025 is made possible through the generous support of Deutsche Bank.

In December 2024, the G.A.S. Foundation, in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation, announced the call for the third edition of the G.A.S. Fellowship Award. This year, the award offered two fully-funded six-week residencies at G.A.S. Lagos for outstanding mid-career professionals based in Africa: one for a mid-career visual fine artist and one for a mid-career curator.

The call received over 130 applications from 18 countries across the continent. The selection panel, who carefully reviewed each submission, was impressed by the wealth of talent, as well as the quality and diversity of artistic practices represented. The 2025 Fellows are Shatha Afify, an Egypt-based interdisciplinary artist, storyteller, poet, and thinker, selected as the Visual Arts Fellow, and Dr Tinashe Mushakavanhu, a Zimbabwe-based curator and writer, selected as the Curatorial Fellow. During their residencies, Afify will focus on supporting emerging local talent, while Dr. Mushakavanhu will develop and present a curatorial exhibition.

The G.A.S. Fellowship Award 2025 is made possible through the generous support of Deutsche Bank.

UK-based artist Joy Labinjo will undertake a four-week residency at G.A.S. Foundation in Lagos this April. Known for her dynamic large-scale figurative paintings, Labinjo’s work draws from personal and archival imagery to explore themes of identity, race, history, and community. Blending bold color palettes, intricate patterns, and layered compositions, her paintings reimagine historical and contemporary life, often centering on intimate domestic and social scenes. Her practice reflects an ongoing engagement with storytelling, political narratives, and the complexities of diasporic identity.

This April, G.A.S. is delighted to welcome Aisha Olamide Seriki, a London-based Nigerian multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans fine art photography, sculpture, bronze, and woodwork. During her four-week residency at G.A.S. Lagos, Aisha will deepen her research into Yoruba material culture through extensive fieldwork, archival exploration, and artisanal collaborations. Her work interrogates the camera’s colonial history as a vessel of objectivity. Her practice centers spiritual-material entanglements, emphasising ancestral technologies, Black temporalities, and non-linear memory.

On April 3rd, 2025, G.A.S. Lagos hosted Young Artist's Salon, a group critique session facilitated by Gaia Ozwyn. Drawing from her own experience in art school, Gaia understands how pivotal critique sessions can be in shaping an artist’s practice. Acknowledging that many emerging artists in Lagos lack access to structured, supportive environments for feedback, she was inspired to create a space that encourages dialogue, reflection, and collective learning. Ahead of the session, Gaia put up a call for Lagos-based visual fine artists interested in presenting their work for critique. From the submissions, four artists were selected: Mariam Olubunmi Aliyu, Afolabi Atiye, Fikayo Adebajo, and Charles Ola. Each artist was invited to present their work live and receive feedback from fellow artists and industry professionals.

Last week, we welcomed multidisciplinary artist and photographer Rachel Anyo for a six-week residency at G.A.S. Lagos. Based in Israel, Rachel’s practice spans installation, photography, and textile arts, exploring identity, femininity, and cultural heritage. Blending traditional Ethiopian weaving techniques with digital collage and photography, she creates layered visual compositions that reinterpret personal and collective histories, challenging conventional narratives of belonging and representation.

Guest Artists Space Foundation (G.A.S.) in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.) is thrilled to announce the pilot edition of the Ìmòra Arts Intensive, an initiative designed to support the professional development of emerging local artists. The programme takes its name from the Yoruba words Ìmòra (support, guidance, mentorship) and ìmò ẹkọ (acquisition of knowledge or skill-building). Structured as a one-week intensive, held at G.A.S. Lagos from 9th to 13th June 2025, it will provide practical training for ten early-career visual fine artists. Through a series of workshops led by industry professionals, participants will develop essential skills for navigating the art world.

On March 27th, 2025, G.A.S. Lagos hosted Weave Lab – Experimental Creation of Textiles, a hands-on weaving workshop led by Nathalie Eggenschwiler, alongside textile designer Khadija Dikko and architectural designer Omotoke Joseph. The event brought together artists, designers, and craft enthusiasts to explore weaving as both a technical skill and a creative process.