G.A.S. Foundation is excited to welcome Ugo Ahiakwo, recipient of the 2024 Tilga Art Fund Prize, for a six-week residency at G.A.S. Lagos. A Lagos-based sculptor and curator, Ugo’s multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, installation, curatorial work, and design. His work is defined by tactility, dynamism, and refinement, with a strong focus on transforming overlooked materials and reimagining their potential. Guided by an intuitive yet intentional approach, he views his materials as collaborators: listening, negotiating, and responding to them as he uncovers new possibilities in form and meaning.
During his residency, Ugo hopes to fully immerse himself in a new environment, using the time to reflect on his practice while developing new works for upcoming exhibitions. With a strong focus on collaboration, he is eager to engage with Lagos’ creative community and explore innovative ways of connecting with audiences. He looks forward to visiting the Yemisi Shyllon Museum, delving into research in the G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive, and making occasional trips to his automotive painter’s shop in Lagos to refine specific aspects of his sculptural pieces. Beyond his studio work, he remains open to collaborating with musicians and artists across disciplines. He envisions music listening sessions where his sculptures are juxtaposed with musical compositions, creating a more immersive experience. Through this, he hopes to make his work feel more engaging, humanizing it in a way that counters the perception of postminimal sculpture in this context as overly bourgeois or distant from the average African or art enthusiast.
ŒIL AMUSÉ, 2024. Image courtesy of Emmanuel Bulley.
What is the current focus of your creative practice?
My creative practice is influenced by happenings or longings in my life, from the seemingly mundane to the extraordinary. It is very much like a diary, a way of processing and documenting my experiences.
Currently, I'm working on pieces inspired by an eyewitness account of domestic violence, a theme that has deeply resonated with me. While this is a key focus, I’m also exploring other ideas, and my time in residency might help me refine or even shift my direction. I plan to stay open to new influences, allowing the process and environment to guide my work in ways that feel most profound.
AND DAVID DANCED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT, 2024. Image courtesy of Emmanuel Bulley.
What drew you to apply for this residency and how do you think it will inform your wider practice?
The space is magnificent and serene, the community is very supportive, and I generally hear great things about the residency, it would be great to finally experience it firsthand. I’m especially excited about the dedicated time and environment to reflect, experiment, and grow. Being immersed in a space that fosters creativity and dialogue will undoubtedly shape my practice, offering new perspectives and inspirations that I can carry forward in my work.
Can you give us an insight into how you hope to use the opportunity?
I would like to use the opportunity to rest awhile and then create new pieces, to explore the library and to also engage the audience in a way that they might not have experienced art before. I’m particularly interested in experimenting with new materials and processes, pushing the boundaries of my practice. I also hope to connect with other artists, curators, and writers, fostering conversations that will deepen my work and expand its reach beyond the studio.
Sparks Fly V (The Last Tango), 2024. Image courtesy of Emmanuel Bulley.
ABOUT UGO AHIAKWO
UGO AHIAKWO (b. 1998) is a Lagos-based sculptor and curator whose works are defined by edginess, dynamism, tactility, and refinement. Drawing on his knowledge of art and design, Ugo explores his curiosities and aspirations for a better future through his creative process. He approaches his materials as collaborators, stating, “I believe everything has a voice, and I strive to highlight the ones that strike a chord with me.” He studied fashion design at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, and the School of the Arts Institute, Chicago, from 2015 to 2018. Ugo’s practice blends influences from design, architecture, and discarded objects, creating pieces that offer new life to overlooked materials.
Ugo Ahiakwo’s residency was generously supported by the Tilga Art Fund.
