Olaolu Akeredolu-Ale (Children: 2, including a son named BeauBeau, after whom he named his East London café) , universally known as Slawn, emerged from the vibrant youth and skate culture of his hometown. In his late teens, he worked at Wafflesncream, Nigeria’s pioneering skate shop, where he met his friends Leo and Onyedi. The trio collaborated to create the apparel collective Motherlan, which gained immense popularity in Nigeria and caught the eye of the late designer Virgil Abloh, launching Slawn into the global streetwear spotlight. Slawn relocated to London in 2018 and enrolled at Middlesex University in 2019 to study graphic design.
Slawn’s pivot from fashion to fine art began during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Initially painting as an outlet and handing out canvases at parties, he rapidly cultivated a dedicated social media following. Working primarily with spray paint, acrylic, and ink, his large-scale canvases combine the frantic energy of street art with bold pop caricature and abstract expressionism. His art frequently features distorted, brightly colored faces and characters that playfully and provocatively critique societal norms, referencing his Yoruba heritage alongside issues of race, identity, and historical stereotypes.
Though he often jokingly distances himself from the traditional art establishment—sometimes labeling himself a “scam artist”—Slawn has achieved a meteoric rise within institutional spaces. Following his debut exhibition at Truman Brewery in 2021 and a 2022 Sotheby’s auction debut, he reached a major milestone in 2023. He became the youngest person and the first Nigerian-born artist to design the Britannia statuette for the annual BRIT Awards. Slawn continues to expand his footprint with ambitious solo exhibitions at Saatchi Yates and broad cultural projects, proving his unique ability to bridge the gap between underground subcultures and blue-chip contemporary art.
Active in others filds :
Apparel and Fashion Design (Co-founder of Motherlan; Collaborator with Nike and HUGO), Commercial Design (Trophy and statuette designer), Hospitality (Founder of BeauBeau’s Cafe in East London).
Notable Collaborations :
Slawn has collaborated with major cultural figures and brands, including the late designer Virgil Abloh (who championed his brand Motherlan), British rapper Skepta (co-curating a Sotheby’s auction), artist Opake, Nigerian rapper Odumodublvck (painting the artwork for the ‘EZIOKWU’ mixtape), 21 Savage (exhibition collaboration), and major brands like Nike and the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 team.
Slawn is rapidly solidifying a legacy as one of the most prominent Gen-Z artists to successfully merge West African youth and skate culture with the international fine art market. He holds a permanent place in British pop culture history as the first Nigerian-born artist to design both the BRIT Awards statuette (2023) and the FA Cup Trophy (2024).
Selected Notable Works :
Bobo n Jarrad Go To Church (2022), 5 Of Them (2024), Fucking Um (2024), Nigeria, My Country (2024), Slawn: 1000 Canvases (2024), The Slawn Art Car (Lancia Delta Integrale) (2024), Dulled Out Cars And Wishing Well Stars (2026), Mickey (2026), Codex Gigas (2026)
Awards and Honors :
Selected as the statuette and set designer for the 2023 BRIT Awards (youngest and first Nigerian-born artist to receive this honor), Selected to design the 2024 FA Cup Trophy.
Exhibitions & Art Venues :
Saatchi Yates (London & New York), Truman Brewery (London), Sotheby’s (London), 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair at Somerset House (London), High Museum of Art (Atlanta).
