The 2024 residency programme at G.A.S. Foundation commenced with the arrival of Victor Svensson and Eric Oetterli, Retail Management bachelor's thesis students from the Stockholm School of Economics, marking the second cohort of the prestigious Yinka Shonibare Thesis Scholarship initiated in 2023 in partnership with Art Initiative, Misum, Mistra Center for Sustainable Markets, and Stockholm School of Economics. During their residency, they explored the intricacies of Nigeria's cryptocurrency adoption, examining its ramifications on retail, economic growth, and financial inclusion. From their base at G.A.S. Lagos, they conducted a comprehensive series of in-person interviews with local retailers. Victor and Eric collaborated closely with a consultancy firm to design and circulate a survey garnering over 800 responses to unearth invaluable insights into the landscape of cryptocurrency adoption in Nigeria.

Originating against the backdrop of the Isale-Akoka area in Bariga, the first iteration of Circular Heroes was hosted by Rafael Kouto in collaboration with Peter D. Abayomi of the Eran Jije Project, whose work activates communities through music, dance, and environmental awareness. This upcycling workshop engaged 15 young people from one of Lagos' most ingenious waterside communities, characterised by adjacent landfills that provide inhabitants with building materials and income streams through recycling. The exercise served as a prequel to another workshop held at the G.A.S. Lagos residency space, attended by fashion designers, visual artists, photographers, climate activists and resource reclamation entrepreneurs.

We are thrilled to announce Moni Aisida as the incoming Executive Director of the G.A.S. Foundation. With an impressive background spanning over 8 years in the art industry, Moni brings a wealth of experience to our organization.

Moni's professional journey has been characterized by diverse experiences across various sectors including healthcare and fin-tech. Her multifaceted expertise uniquely positions her to drive innovation and growth within the art community. Notably, Moni has been pivotal in cultivating partnerships and facilitating capacity-building initiatives, particularly in her dedicated efforts to support emerging artists. Her unwavering commitment to empowering creatives and fostering collaboration aligns seamlessly with the values and mission of the G.A.S. Foundation.

Following an exciting announcement on her new gallery representation by Regen Projects, Glasgow-based G.A.S. Alumnus and celebrated multidisciplinary artist, Alberta Whittle will debut her first exhibition with the gallery on March 16, 2024. This comes following the conclusion of her residency at G.A.S. Foundation, alongside Elsa James and TK Smith. The work in this exhibition revisits her travels in Nigeria, some having begun while in residence at G.A.S. Lagos. Entitled 'Learning a New Punctuation for Hope in Times of Disaster', Alberta’s exhibition at Regen Projects exemplifies the artist’s interdisciplinary approach to cultivating community and care as an antidote to catastrophes, from ecological collapse to the legacy of anti-Blackness. The exhibition presents Lagareh – The Last Born, 2022 for the first time in North America beside a suite of new paintings and sculptural works. Blending tender portraiture with more abstract passages and symbols, Alberta’s paintings reflect her own lived and embodied experience and desire to cultivate moments of rest, reflection, and kinship with and for others.

In May 2023 Yinka Shonibare Foundation and Guest Artists Space Foundation announced a new collaborative open call with Tilga Art Fund, a philanthropic initiative launched by our residency Patron, Wally Bakare, to foster criticality, broaden artistic practice and engage new and exciting modes of art-making among young contemporary African artists. The 2023 edition of the prize was targeted at young artists across all creative disciplines working and living in Uganda, or of Ugandan descent. 

Curated by KJ Abudu, Traces of Ecstasy is an architectural pavilion, art exhibition, and symposium that premiered at the 2024 Lagos Biennial. Guided by the biennial's overarching theme of refuge, the curatorial project critically responds to the charged historical residues of Tafawa Balewa Square, taking its constitutive role in postcolonial nation-building as a point of departure. Traces of Ecstasy aims to unsettle the colonial capitalist power structures that maintain and reproduce the ideological legitimacy of the nation-state in post/neocolonial Africa and the wider world.

Welcoming Remi Kuforiji, an architect, spatial practitioner, and researcher, to our G.A.S. Lagos residency. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Remi's work delves into the nuanced intersections of race politics, mapping, and performance. His project, Water No Get Enemy: Counter-Cartographies Of Diaspora, redefines Nigerian masquerade as a critical tool in cartography, challenging the neo-colonial exploitation of the Niger Delta's resources. During his residency, Remi aims to conduct first-person research on Lagosian masquerades, exploring their impact in contrast to resource extraction in Lagos.

RCA BLK and Yinka Shonibare Foundation (UK) today announce their partnership on a new artist residency programme in Lagos, Nigeria. Together, the organisations will host two residencies in spring 2024, in collaboration with Guest Artists Space Foundation (G.A.S) in Nigeria; one for an exceptional early/mid-career artist who is an RCA BLK member; and one for a research-based proposal from the wider RCA BLK community.

The Yinka Shonibare Foundation, Guest Artists Space Foundation, and British Council collaborated to create a cultural nexus by hosting a group of visual art curators in Lagos during the 4th edition of the Lagos Biennial. Joined by G.A.S. friends, Biennial VIPs and our patrons, the group participated in an immersive programme that took place between the 2nd and 7th of February and included participation in the official programme of the Lagos Biennial alongside in-depth tours of local institutions, artist studios, collections and galleries.

RCA BLK  aims to promote, improve and advance education by encouraging and supporting the practice of contemporary visual artists who identify as Black within the RCA’s wider community. They do so by fostering relationships with pre-enrolled students, current students as well as alumni. RCA BLK makes its impact on students' experience from the African diaspora and builds upon the rich legacies of the RCA student body. 

We are thrilled to announce that Rafael Kouto began an exciting new residency at G.A.S. Foundation, supported by the Swiss Arts Council, Pro Helvetia. A multidisciplinary creator with a focus on fashion, design, research, and materiality, Rafael brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to our community. His diverse itinerary will take place across various locations, including G.A.S. Lagos, and G.A.S. Farm House in Ikise, after which he will go on to Ibadan. During this period, Rafael aims to explore local methodologies to circular fashion, specifically exploring how artists and designers engage with contemporary West African material culture, decolonization in fashion, and traditional crafts and rituals linked to the Yoruba community.

Sequel to their initial research residency to G.A.S. Lagos in the spring of 2023, we are thrilled to welcome US-based multidisciplinary artist, Raymond Pinto, to Nigeria on their second residency, a testament to the profound impact of their initial trip. Returning in January 2024, Raymond is gearing up for the Lagos Biennial, meticulously preparing performances that promise to captivate and resonate.