On December 12th, the Yinka Shonibare Foundation hosted its annual Patrons & Alumni Winter Soirée at Autograph, London, celebrating the Spirit of Lagos exhibition, co-curated by Autograph Senior Curator, Bindi Vora, and G.A.S. alumni, Lagos Studio Archives (a curatorial collective consisting of Karl Ohiri and Riikka Kassinen).

The soirée began with an insightful guided tour of Spirit of Lagos by Senior Curator Bindi Vora, illuminating the exhibition’s nuanced portrayal of Lagos as a city of contrasts—dynamic, layered, and deeply inspiring. Guests were then treated to an engaging walkthrough of Rotimi Fani-Kayode: The Studio – Staging Desire, led by Autograph’s Director, Professor Mark Sealy, offering a reflective lens on Fani-Kayode’s groundbreaking exploration of desire, identity, and self-fashioning. The evening concluded with festive drinks and light refreshments, fostering meaningful dialogue between Patrons, Trustees, and alumni, alongside the Foundation’s Founder, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. This gathering exemplified the collaborative spirit underpinning our residencies, championing art as a vehicle for critical reflection and cultural exchange.

Join us at G.A.S. Lagos on December 19th for Primitive Hypertext, a presentation and hands-on workshop in collaborative storytelling and printing, led by current resident, Avery Youngblood. This event will highlight Avery's residency research which has explored how obsolete technologies influence contemporary creative practices and the interplay between memory, archives, and interconnected ways of thinking. 

This December, we are thrilled to host our final resident of the year, Nigerian multidisciplinary artist Mobolaji Ogunrosoye, as she undertakes a two-week research fellowship at G.A.S. Lagos. Known for a distinct visual language that intersects photography and collage, Mobolaji's practice critically delves into themes of selfhood, body image, and the societal forces that shape identity in West African women both on the continent and in the diaspora. A central focus of her current research is investigating how transparent materials can be used as innovative tools in collage-making. By incorporating these materials, Mobolaji seeks to add new layers of meaning, depth, and dimensionality to her work, pushing the boundaries of traditional collage techniques while exploring the interplay between opacity, translucence, and the stories embedded within her compositions.