The Politics of Fabrics brings together a new body of work developed by artist Samuel Nnorom during his residency at Guest Artists Space Foundation. The sculptural pieces, created almost entirely from pre-owned garments, include an ambitious 25ft site-specific intervention that will be hung on the exterior of the G.A.S. Lagos building.

G.A.S. began working collaboratively with Goodman Gallery in early 2022 following the Foundation's local launch in Nigeria. The resulting opportunities are funded through our Fellowship Platinum Partner donor package, a giving level used to directly support three residency fellowship awards in Nigeria over a three-year period with a focus on African and African Diaspora recipients. In this instance it allows artists who are either represented by or exhibiting with Goodman Gallery to complete a residency at G.A.S.

Nolan Oswald Dennis is a para-disciplinary artist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Their practice primarily explores ‘a black consciousness of space’ focusing on the material and metaphysical conditions of decolonisation whilst questioning histories of space and time through system-specific, rather than site-specific interventions. Nolan, whose residency starts this week, is supported by Goodman Gallery through our Fellowship Platinum Partner donor package. They are Goodman Gallery's inaugural Artist in Residence at G.A.S. and will be returning to Nigeria later this year to participate in the Lagos Biennial.

In 2022 G.A.S. received a donation of a lifelong personal library collection from Professor John Picton and Sue Picton. Its scope 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. In 2023, the collection will continue its journey from the Picton family home in Evesham, England to Lagos, Nigeria where it will once again become a point of reference for those wishing to enrich and deepen their knowledge of African history and visual culture. 

Our newest G.A.S. Fellowship resident Samuel Nnorom had a busy year in 2022 showing his work extensively in Nigeria at Kó Gallery, Alexis Galleries, and ART X Lagos as well as further afield at AKAA Art Fair in France. 2023 looks set to be an equally exciting year for the artist and the first chapter of that journey lies in his one-month residency at G.A.S. Lagos. It will be the first time that Nnorom, typically based in Nsukka, will be able to make work in and in response to Nigeria's biggest city.