Like Cal Hockley in “Titanic”, Olaolu Akeredolu-Ale (more popularly known as Olaolu Slawn) is a man who believes in making his own ‘luck’. As that luck would have it, he has secured his very own solo exhibition at Saatchi Yates in London. For the artist, this development has marked a significant milestone in his artistic journey. The solo exhibition which opened on the 12th of September, 2024 will draw to a close on the 20th of October, 2024.
Back in 2022, Saatchi Yates’ front desk staff had hundreds of visitors who repeated the same question over the course of many days. They all asked if the gallery sold Olaolu Slawn’s works. At the time, the gallery had neither worked with nor even heard of the artist. So, the question left the staff in a state of bewilderment. They must have wondered, “Who is this Olaolu Slawn?”
That was the exact question Olaolu Slawn hoped to brew in their minds. Apparently, the whole thing was a marketing stunt stemming from an Instagram post. Slawn had alluded in the post to his followers that they could find his work at Saatchi Yates. Since he had quite the following on Instagram, the consequence was a barrage of that one question at Saatchi Yates’ front desk. In his unconventional way, he made his own luck.
Although they did not reach out to the artist right off the bat, the incident left his indelible mark on the gallery directors’ memories. Fast forward to the present and the Saatchi Yates gallery is hosting the artist’s solo exhibition – “I present to you, Slawn.”
The solo exhibition features Slawn’s trademark cartoonish figures in different contexts. However, the highlight of the show is “Slawn: 1000 Canvases,” which spans the entire length of a wall in the gallery. It is literally made up of 1000 A4-sized canvases with white spray-painted faces albeit one canvas spray-painted with black. Together, these individual canvases make up a beautiful blend of yellow, red, and blue with harmonious transitions. The going rate for each canvas is £1000.
A very significant piece amidst the various stand-alone artworks spread across the exhibition is the one titled “Ben.” This portrait is Slawn’s re-imagination of one of the three “Tutu” portraits by the late Nigerian artist, Ben Enwonwu.
The “Tutu” paintings are Ben Enwonwu’s 1973 depictions of Adetutu Ademiluyi, Princess of Ife. After being lost for about 42 years, one of the paintings was found in 2017. By 2018, it was sold for over £1 million at Bonhams London Auction House.
The London-based artist is hailed for his unique and radical style. In the contemporary art scene, one can describe his art as a combination of street art and abstract expressionism. Refusing to bind himself to a single medium when creating art, Slawn fuses spray-painting with acrylic painting on canvas. He also rejects the idea that he can only paint on canvas as he imprints his signature artistic style on vehicles, figurines and even people.
A self-proclaimed troublemaker, the Nigerian-born artist is no stranger to controversy. Earlier this year, he faced backlash on X ( popularly known as Twitter) after his painting, “ The Three Yoruba Brothers” sold for £31,750 at Sotheby’s. The painting which is reminiscent of the racist character Golliwog, sparked outrage on the platform. Furious Nigerians proceeded to drag Olaolu Slawn through the muddy streets of Twitter.
While some art aficionados think him something of a genius for employing a disruptive approach to art, his critics consider him talentless. What he really is, one knows not. Even he does not seem to be quite sure as he has intimated many times. Slawn does not consider himself an artist and claims he only knows how to draw one thing – the cartoonish faces. In his own words – “I’m not an artist, I paint like a 6 year old.”
Regardless, he must be doing something right for the level of success he has attained so far. At the young age of 23, he has managed to engage a wide range of audience including popular figures like Skepta, A$AP Rocky, and Tremaine Emory.
Notably, Olaolu Slawn was the youngest and first Nigerian-born artist to design the statuette for the 2023 Brit Awards. In addition to setting that record, he was also selected to design the 2024 FA Cup Trophy.
While he rides his huge wave of success, his art continues to revolve around themes of racism, politics and whatnot. As history has shown, these themes make for heated conversations. Ultimately, art is expression and Olaolu Slawn is expressing himself the way he deems fit.
