G.A.S. Lagos

About the Project

 

Our Lagos location focuses on the arts, design, curatorial practice and research in one of the most enterprising cities in the world. The multi-use live/work space host multidisciplinary artists, researchers and curators from all over the world in awarded residencies for up to three months.

 

The Foundation’s mission is underpinned by an ethos that strives to create a platform for creative and career development and knowledge exchange. Through the support of international partnerships, G.A.S. hopes to break down traditional barriers of privilege, wealth and lack of infrastructure and provide opportunities for both participants and the local community.

The G.A.S. Lagos Building

 

In Lagos, the Foundation is hosted in an award-winning building in Oniru fusing traditional Yoruba and Brutalist achitectural principles. G.A.S. Lagos was designed by Ghanian British architect Elsie Owusu in collaboration with Nigerian architect Nihinlola Shonibare. The latter's practice, NS Design Consult, was additionally commissioned to execute the interior design concept.

 

The building houses a multifunctional studio/gallery space and event kitchen on the ground floor with accommodation and shared living space on the first floor for up to three artists-in-residence. The structure wraps around a communal courtyard than can be used to to host performances and events and the barrier-free design of the building ensures access for all our users and visitors. 

 

Photography by Olajide Ayeni. Images courtesy of Open House Lagos.

 

The G.A.S. Foundation Library and Picton Archive

 

In 2022 G.A.S. received a donation of a lifelong personal library from Professor John Picton and Sue Picton. The scope of the collection includes the visual arts of Sub-Saharan Africa (sculpture, masquerade, textiles), publications dealing with history and archaeology (including Saharan rock art); as well as African American and Black British arts, and more.⁠

 

The books totalling some 1500 volumes are being digitally catalogued and shipped to Nigeria in batches to be housed at G.A.S. Foundation’s Lagos building in purpose-built library cabinets as an open resource for residents and researchers in Nigeria.⁠ G.A.S. commissioned an archivist to work with Professor Picton to initially categorise and establish the the first 400 books between July and October 2022 and they are now available as a reference resource for our residents. This work will continue into 2023 alongside the development of reading residencies. 

 

 

How You Can Support Our Foundation

Your generous contributions support the Foundation’s distinctive interdisciplinary residencies, research, education programmes and public events.