British-Nigerian artist Olaolu “Slawn” Akeredolu-Ale set the art world talking when he shared an Instagram photo suggesting a collaboration with American artist KAWS.
In the image, Slawn stood beside sculptures that closely mirrored KAWS’s iconic Companion figures. His caption read:
“SLAWN x KAWS, an ode to one of the greatest, thank you for everything @KAWS, amen.”
The post spread quickly across social media. Fans, collectors, and media outlets began discussing the possibility of a joint project. Soon after, KAWS, whose real name is Brian Donnelly, responded directly. Posting to his Instagram Stories, he wrote: “I have nothing to do with this. This is misleading!” With that statement, he made it clear that no collaboration existed.
Slawn made his stance clear in a series of Instagram stories. Yes, he’s worked with Nike, Formula 1, and the BRITs—but what really fuels him is creating on his own terms. No briefs. No Zoom calls. Just freedom.
He also said he gets a kick out of watching people react to his work online. And for the record, he’s not picking sides. He’ll keep doing both: the official gigs and the off-the-cuff stuff.
He also dropped a comment under KAWS’ recent post, saying,
” I hope we can still be cool man ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️”
Slawn began his creative career designing skatewear in Lagos before moving into contemporary art. Over the years, he has exhibited in Europe and built a reputation for large-scale, colorful works that often play with humor and scale. KAWS, once a graffiti artist in New York, rose to international prominence in the late 1990s. His Companion figures and collaborations with fashion brands have become highly recognizable in both art and pop culture.
