Earlier this month, we welcomed Kamael Kirkland and Maryam Muhammad to G.A.S. Lagos for an eight-week internship, delivered in partnership with Spelman College and the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective (AUC Collective). Now in its third year, this collaboration continues to support emerging arts professionals through meaningful exposure to curatorial practice, research, and cultural programming.
Kamael and Maryam join us with a strong interest in learning from Lagos' art ecosystem and gaining insight into how local artists, cultural institutions, and communities shape contemporary artistic practice. Throughout the internship, they will work closely with the G.A.S. team, contributing to ongoing projects while gaining hands-on experience across different areas of the organisation. Kamael will support exhibition planning and community engagement initiatives across G.A.S. programmes. Maryam will contribute to Archive Futures, the publishing strand of the Re:assemblages programme, while supporting research and public-facing activities connected to the G.A.S. Library and the Picton Archive.
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Guests at the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive.
What is the current focus of your practice?
Kamael: My current focus is the study of African and African American history of art through the lens of legal practice, exploring how social justice can be integrated into this work.
Maryam: The current focus of my practice is Art History. More specifically, I am interested in African and African American art practices, as well as textile & fashion history.
Guests at a public event at G.A.S. Lagos.
What drew you to apply for this opportunity and how do you think it will inform your wider practice?
Kamael: I was drawn to this opportunity because I wanted to immerse myself in Nigerian culture and learn more about the history of the Nigerian people. This is important to me because my focus in law is rooted in understanding the impact that colonialism has had on different African and African American communities.
Maryam: I was drawn to this internship because of its location and the one-on-one learning experience it offers. Given my interest in African art, I felt that an internship in Lagos would be well suited to my area of study and allow me to develop a deeper understanding of the culture. Additionally, the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in curatorial practice and exhibition planning under the guidance of the G.A.S. curator played an important role in my decision to apply.
Kamael Kirkland
Kamael Kirkland is a rising junior at Spelman College, majoring in Art History with a minor in Spanish on the pre-law track. Originally from Los Angeles, California, she is interested in the legality of restoring historical African artefacts and reallocating them to their proper place.
Photo of Kamael Kirkland.
Maryam Muhammad
Maryam Muhammad is a rising junior at Spelman College, where she majors in Art History and minors in French. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she has a passion for African and African American art and fashion. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in the museum field through exhibition curation.
Photo of Maryam Muhammad.
Kamael and Maryam's Internships are generously supported by Spelman College and the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective (AUC Collective)
