Art sales revenue generated by Yinka Shonibare is being channeled towards charitable contributions towards Africa.
G.A.S. Foundation Boosts Mid-Career African Artists
The G.A.S. Foundation, established by renowned artist Yinka Shonibare in 2019, has become a significant player in the African art scene. Based in Nigeria, the non-profit artist residency is dedicated to supporting mid-career artists and curators, fostering international artistic exchange, and promoting critical scholarship.
The Foundation's impact is felt through initiatives like the 2025–26 Re:assemblages project, which reimagines African and Afro-diasporic art archives through international symposia, research, and micro-publications. Guided by an advisory committee of distinguished curators, scholars, and cultural leaders, this project underscores G.A.S.'s commitment to critical scholarship and archival practice.
Over the past decade, Shonibare has nurtured early career and diaspora artists through related projects under the Guest Projects banner. This continuum of support now extends into the mid-career phase via G.A.S., with a focus on cross-cultural dialogue and experimentation that enriches the African art ecosystem.
G.A.S. has partnerships with several institutions, including Goodman Gallery, South London Gallery, Tiwani Contemporary, University of the Arts London, and ART X Lagos. The Foundation also partners with LUX, a UK arts foundation supporting and promoting visual artists working with moving image.
With two facilities—G.A.S. Lagos Residency and G.A.S. Farm House residency on a 54-acre plot in Ijebu, Ogun State—the Foundation has hosted over 100 emerging to established artists and curators, including Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Portia Zvavahera, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Emma Prempeh, Joy Labinjo, Evan Ifekoya, and Osei Bonsu.
One of the Foundation's honourees for the G.A.S. Fellowship Award, Amanda Iheme, spoke of the award as affirming and validating. The G.A.S. Fellowship Award is an annual initiative to support mid-career artists and curators across Africa.
The G.A.S. Foundation's exhibition in Fondation H includes a digital interface with biographies of personalities like Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, and Thomas Sankara in languages including Malagasy. Yinka Shonibare's art is now part of Fondation H's permanent collection and featured in an exhibition on view through February 28, 2026, at the foundation's revamped colonial era building in Antananarivo.
Joey Aresoa, who will be in residency at G.A.S. Foundation in Nigeria later this year, is a direct result of a partnership Shonibare established with Fondation H. Aresoa's residency marks her first international residency.
The local launch of the G.A.S. Foundation was held in 2022, following a delay caused in part by the Covid-19 pandemic. Margaux Huille, director of Fondation H, has praised the Foundation's activities as key to the African art scene.
References: [1] G.A.S. Foundation website: https://gasfoundation.org/ [2] The Art Newspaper: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/yinka-shonibare-unveils-new-foundation-for-emerging-african-artists [3] Artsy: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-yinka-shonibare-launches-new-foundation-supporting-african-artists [4] The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/oct/05/yinka-shonibare-launches-foundation-to-support-african-artists [5] Hyperallergic: https://hyperallergic.com/671210/yinka-shonibare-foundation-african-artists-residency/
- The G.A.S. Foundation, a well-regarded player in the African art scene, was initiated by acclaimed artist Yinka Shonibare in 2019.
- Based in Nigeria, the non-profit artist residency concentrates on supporting mid-career artists and curators.
- The Foundation's primary focus is fostering international artistic exchange and promoting critical scholarship.
- One of its significant projects, the 2025–26 Re:assemblages, reimagines African and Afro-diasporic art archives.
- The Foundation is guided by an advisory committee of prestigious curators, scholars, and cultural leaders.
- Over the past decade, Shonibare has supported early-career and diaspora artists through projects under the Guest Projects banner.
- G.A.S. now extends this support into mid-career artists, with an emphasis on cross-cultural dialogue and experimentation.
- G.A.S. partners with several organizations such as Goodman Gallery, South London Gallery, Tiwani Contemporary, University of the Arts London, and ART X Lagos.
- LUX, a UK arts foundation specializing in moving image, is another one of the Foundation's partners.
- With facilities like G.A.S. Lagos Residency and G.A.S. Farm House residency, the Foundation has hosted over 100 artists and curators.
- One of the honourees for the G.A.S. Fellowship, Amanda Iheme, highlighted the award as affirming and validating.
- The G.A.S. Foundation's exhibition in Fondation H features a digital interface with biographies of influential personalities like Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Nelson Mandela.
- The Foundation's residency program is expanding, as seen with Joey Aresoa, who will be in residency later this year, resulting from a partnership with Fondation H.
