In this update, we celebrate the continued success and growth of our alumni, whose work spans diverse mediums and compelling themes. From powerful solo exhibitions to prestigious fellowships and international recognitions, our community of artists continues to push boundaries and make significant strides in their careers. Read on to discover the latest developments from G.A.S. alumni as they engage with new contexts, expand their creative practices, and spark important conversations through their art.

Join us on March 20, 2025, for The Clay Women of Ìgànrán, a virtual residency presentation by Bisila Noha, reflecting on her research and experiences at the G.A.S. Farm House in Ikise. Over the course of her six-week residency, Bisila spent time with a family of women potters in Iganran, a city in Ogun State, Nigeria, immersing herself in their traditions, techniques, and ways of being. Through hands-on learning, close observation, and shared moments of laughter and work, she explored the rhythm of their practice, one shaped by generations of knowledge, resilience, and ritual.

In January and February 2025, G.A.S. Foundation hosted a dynamic cohort of residents whose diverse practices spanned ceramics, textiles, dramaturgy, ethnobotany, and sculpture. Spanish-Equatoguinean artist Bisila Noha explored Nigerian pottery traditions, collaborating with local women potters and researching the intersections of craft and movement. Swiss designer Nathalie Eggenschwiler engaged with Nigerian textile artisans, fostering cross-cultural exchanges in design and sustainability. Playwright and director Eva-Maria Bertschy examined the trade history of African (Swiss) lace, connecting Lagos’ markets with European production networks. Ethnobotanist Jonn Gale investigated decolonial approaches to botanical archiving, collaborating with healers and conservationists. Tilga Art Fund-supported sculptor, Ugo Ahiakwo deepened his material explorations. Their residencies underscored G.A.S. Foundation’s role as a catalyst for critical discourse, collaboration, and artistic innovation.

Join us at G.A.S. Lagos on March 13th and 14th, 2025, for Indulgence Before Consequence, a solo exhibition of new sculptural works by Ugo Ahiakwo, created or completed during his six-week residency at G.A.S. Foundation, Lagos. Through an intuitive yet deliberate engagement with materials—layered fabrics, metals, and automotive paints—Ugo explores the tension between impulse and restraint, revealing the lasting imprint of choice. The exhibition reflects a deep preoccupation with the interplay of desire, cause and effect, and transformation, capturing the moments where action precedes reflection. The works serve as both a meditation and a record of these complexities, inviting viewers to consider the delicate balance between indulgence and consequence.

Bisila Noha, a London-based ceramicist, completed a six-week residency at G.A.S. Foundation, exploring Nigerian ceramic traditions. She engaged with potters in Ayobo, studied sacred sites in Ilorin and Osogbo, and experimented with local materials at the G.A.S. Farm House in Ikiṣẹ. Her residency culminated in Ile Ọkàn – A Gathering at the House of the Soul, a temporary clay and brick installation inspired by Igbo Mbari houses, celebrating the intersection of art, spirituality, and community.

On February 11th, we hosted our first Patrons Dinner of 2025 at G.A.S. Lagos, bringing together Patrons, donors, trustees, and key supporters for an intimate evening of meaningful conversations and fine dining.

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.

The 2025 G.A.S. Fellowship Award, organised by the G.A.S. Foundation in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation, has announced its winners: Zimbabwe-based curator and writer Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu and Egypt-based interdisciplinary artist Shatha Afify. Selected from over 130 applicants across 18 African countries, they will each undertake a fully funded six-week residency at G.A.S. Lagos.

The 2025 G.A.S. Fellowship Award, organised by the G.A.S. Foundation in partnership with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation, has announced its winners: Zimbabwe-based curator and writer Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu and Egypt-based interdisciplinary artist Shatha Afify. Selected from over 130 applicants across 18 African countries, they will each undertake a fully funded six-week residency at G.A.S. Lagos.

Towards the end of last month, we were delighted to welcome Bulgarian-Nigerian ethnobotanist Jonn Gale for an immersive 12-week residency, structured as part of her PhD placement. Based in London, her interdisciplinary practice spans photography, moving image, sound, research, and ecology. Her work combines archival analysis, ethnobotanical research, and sensory-focused visual ethnography, to explore multi-species relationships and the historical role of plants. As part of her practice-led PhD at Birkbeck, University of London, and in collaboration with the Linnean Society of London,  she is currently investigating the overlooked contributions of Black and Indigenous naturalists to 18th- and 19th-century botanical knowledge, working to develop decolonial approaches to archival research.

Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.) and Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation are delighted to announce that they have been awarded a transformative $220,000 grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art. This significant two-year funding will support two major cross-cultural initiatives at G.A.S. residency locations in Ijebu and Lagos, fostering cultural exchange, ecological engagement, and archival preservation.

Yinka Shonibare Foundation (Y.S.F.) and Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation are delighted to announce that they have been awarded a transformative $220,000 grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art. This significant two-year funding will support two major cross-cultural initiatives at G.A.S. residency locations in Ijebu and Lagos, fostering cultural exchange, ecological engagement, and archival preservation.