The G.A.S. Foundation, in collaboration with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation, has announced Shatha Afify and Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu as the recipients of the 2025 G.A.S. Fellowship Award.
The annual G.A.S. fellowship offers two fully funded six-week residencies at G.A.S. Lagos for mid-career professionals in Africa—one in visual arts and the other in curatorial practice.
A panel of industry experts selected Afify and Mushakavanhu after a competitive review process, choosing them from over 130 applications across 18 African countries. The selection committee included G.A.S. Executive Director Moni Aisida, independent curator Dr. Jareh Das, Y.S.F. Trustee Doug Fishbone, Deutsche Bank Curator of International Art Mary Findlay, Y.S.F. Advisor Bob and Roberta Smith, and G.A.S. Trustee Ugoma Ebilah.
Shatha Afify, an interdisciplinary artist from Egypt, earned the title of Visual Arts Fellow. Her practice combines sound, performance, and multimedia to explore themes of conflict, loss, and social resistance. During her residency, Afify plans to expand her network across the African art scene and will lead a workshop as part of the Ìmòra Arts Intensive, a professional development program for emerging artists. Her session will address the challenges of navigating the art market and the role of interdisciplinary approaches in contemporary practice.
The Zimbabwean curator and writer Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu earned the title of Curatorial Fellow. His work intersects literature, archival research, and exhibition-making, with a focus on African cultural histories and experimental narratives. Mushakavanhu intends to develop a site-specific exhibition at G.A.S. Lagos, combining text, image, and sound to engage audiences with African literary traditions. The project builds on his broader research into how archives shape public memory and identity.
In addition to the G.A.S. Fellowship recipients, the foundation recognized a shortlist of candidates for their strong proposals. Notable among the shortlisted visual artists were Ange-Frédéric Koffi, Gouled Abdishakour Ahmed, Sel Kofiga, Wallen Mapondera, and Wambui Kamiru Collymoe. The shortlisted curators included Abbey IT-A, Nkhensani Mkhari, and Renee Mboya.
The G.A.S. Fellowship Award, supported by Deutsche Bank, continues to provide a platform for mid-career artists and curators to explore new ideas and contribute to the cultural dialogue in Lagos.
