Shatha Afify and Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu Awarded 2025 GAS Fellowship
In December 2024, the GAS Foundation, in collaboration with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation (YSF), announced the winners of the third edition of the prestigious GAS Fellowship Award. This year, the fellowship offered two fully-funded six-week residencies at GAS Lagos: one for a mid-career visual fine artist and one for a mid-career curator.
The call for applicants drew an overwhelming response, with over 130 submissions from 18 different African countries. After a thorough review by an esteemed panel, the winners of the 2025 fellowship were selected: Shatha Afify, an Egypt-based interdisciplinary artist, storyteller, poet, and thinker, was named the visual arts fellow, while Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu, a Zimbabwe-based curator and writer, secured the curatorial fellowship.
Shatha Afify: Visual Arts Fellow
Shatha Afify, known for her work that intersects sound, performance, sculpture, and multimedia, is deeply engaged with themes of conflict, loss, and resistance. With her residency in Lagos, Afify intends to expand her network of cross-disciplinary collaborators across the continent. During her six-week stay, she will lead a workshop as part of the Ìmòra Arts Intensive, a professional development program hosted by GAS that aims to support emerging local talent.
Afify’s work addresses complex existential themes such as freedom, dignity, and the struggles of adulthood. Her art practice questions power structures, reflecting on her time while offering possibilities for reimagining the present and the future. Her latest piece, Contemplating a Decision (2024), from the Decision – Forgotten + Remembered series, exemplifies her approach to creating contemporary archives that provoke reflection and action.
Afify’s art has been featured globally, from Egypt to Europe and the United States, and she has held residencies at prominent institutions such as the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. Her curatorial projects, including The Act of Touch (2020–2023), emphasize collective action and experimentation, encouraging a culture of togetherness in the art community.
Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu: Curatorial Fellow
Dr. Tinashe Mushakavanhu, a writer and curator based in Harare, Zimbabwe, was awarded the GAS Fellowship for his curatorial practice. Mushakavanhu, who holds a PhD in English from the University of Kent, is known for his innovative approach to archives, literature, and African cultural history. His curatorial work engages with the complexities of identity, memory, and global politics, often questioning dominant narratives.
During his residency at GAS Lagos, Mushakavanhu plans to develop a site-specific exhibition that blends images, text, and sound to introduce audiences to African literature in a novel way. Drawing on his extensive research, he aims to transform the space into an immersive experience that challenges conventional exhibition formats. Mushakavanhu’s work is a reflection of his commitment to experimental narrative exhibition-making and collaborative learning.
In addition to his curatorial work, Mushakavanhu has co-created several important cultural spaces, including Tambira Labs and Black Chalk & Co. These projects, which focus on rethinking publishing frameworks and fostering dialogue on evolving African cultural narratives, reflect his dedication to nurturing creative spaces that challenge traditional practices.
The GAS Fellowship: A Platform for African Artists and Curators
The GAS Fellowship is a vital initiative aimed at providing mid-career African artists and curators with the resources and platform needed to advance their work and make meaningful connections in the global art world. The residency at GAS Lagos offers fellows the opportunity to work in a dynamic and supportive environment while contributing to the development of Africa’s cultural landscape.
This year’s fellowship selection panel included notable figures such as GAS Executive Director Moni Aisida, independent researcher and curator Dr. Jareh Das, artist Doug Fishbone, Deutsche Bank Curator of International Art Mary Findlay, artist Bob and Roberta Smith, and entrepreneur Ugoma Ebilah. Together, they ensured that the selected fellows reflect the diverse and dynamic talent emerging from Africa.
Looking Ahead
Both Afify and Mushakavanhu are set to use their residencies not only to further their own practices but also to engage with the local and continental art communities. Afify’s planned workshop and Mushakavanhu’s immersive exhibition will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing dialogue about African art, culture, and resistance.
As they embark on this unique opportunity, the 2025 GAS fellows will play an important role in shaping the future of African art and curatorial practice, further establishing the GAS Foundation’s residency program as an essential platform for nurturing talent and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration.
