Earlier this week, we welcomed Daniel Minter, an American painter, illustrator, and educator, to G.A.S. Foundation for his residency. His multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, drawing, printmaking, installation, and crafts, often addressing themes of displacement and diaspora informed by his extensive travels across Africa and the wider African Diaspora. Beyond his artistic practice, Daniel is the co-founder and artist director of Indigo Arts Alliance,a Maine-based arts incubator that brings together artists from diverse backgrounds of the African Diaspora to engage in their creative processes. Through multidisciplinary residency and fellowship programs rooted in a Black-led approach to creativity, community-building, and mentorship, the organization's mission addresses the underrepresentation of Black and Brown artists across disciplines in the local, national and global context. 

We are delighted to welcome Joëlle “Joey” Aresoa, a multidisciplinary artist from Madagascar, for a six-week residency at G.A.S. Foundation, Lagos. She joins us as the inaugural Fondation H resident, part of a new cross-residency programme developed between Antananarivo and Lagos. Working across painting, sculpture, installation, performance, film, literature, and digital media, Joey’s practice explores memory, identity, and oral transmission through the lenses of storytelling and symbolism. Her work often weaves poetry and visual art together, reactivating myths and legends while addressing erasures within collective narratives.

We are delighted to share recent achievements from G.A.S. alumni, who continue to make significant contributions across the global arts landscape. From Kosisochukwu Nnebe’s ambitious textile-inspired installation at UNFAIR Amsterdam, to TK Smith’s curatorial projects exploring diaspora and belonging, to Tobi Onabolu’s recognition with the 2025 Aesthetica Art Prize, these updates highlight the breadth of practices and critical dialogues being shaped by our community.

Last week, we were pleased to welcome Adewale Kolawole John, a painter based in Ibadan, Nigeria, for a month-long residency at G.A.S. Lagos. His practice draws on the rich legacies of Yoruba traditional music, with a focus on juju. Through paintings informed by research and personal encounters with music, record sleeves, and performance histories, he creates textured portraits of Yoruba musicians in traditional attire, capturing not only their likeness but also the spirit and atmosphere of their soundscapes.

The Osahon Okunbo Foundation (TOOF) joins our Global Circle of supporters. This significant two-year donation will support residencies in Lagos and assist in the realisation of the 2025 Re:assemblages Symposium. TOOF’s support and donation will fund a series of residencies dedicated to supporting Nigerian artists, curators, designers, and researchers. The programme will provide the time, resources, and infrastructure for practitioners to experiment, exchange ideas, and develop new work. In a context where long-term support systems such as sustainable funding, dedicated spaces, and accessible platforms remain limited, this investment directly addresses systemic gaps within Nigeria’s creative ecosystem while nurturing the next generation of cultural voices.