Join us at G.A.S. Lagos on April 30th, 2025 for Unearthing the Archive, an evening of discussion focused on the role of archives in contemporary artistic practice. Hosted by current residents Aisha Seriki and Joy Labinjo, the event will feature a panel discussion led by Aisha in conversation with Joy Labinjo, artist and G.A.S. alumna Mobolaji Ogunrosoye, and Amaize Ojeikere, a photographer, writer, and son of the legendary J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere. Each panellists engage with archival materials as a core aspect of their work, drawing connections between personal and collective histories.

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.