Olaolu Slaw, better known as Slawn, is a 24-year-old British Nigerian fine artist whose journey from Lagos, Nigeria, to the global art and motorsport stages exemplifies a unique blend of cultural heritage and contemporary creativity. Slawn, with his graffiti art style rooted in culture, has become the first artist globally to have his artwork featured on an F1 car racing at the British Grand Prix, held at Silverstone.
Born on October 24, 2000, Slawn’s early career was rooted in Nigeria’s skate and art community, where he worked at Wafflesncream, one of Nigeria’s first skate shops. There, he met friends Leo and Onyedi, and together they formed the apparel group Motherlan, which gained popularity and received recognition from the late fashion icon Virgil Abloh.
This early exposure laid the groundwork for his artistic ambitions.
In 2018, Slawn moved to London, enrolling at Middlesex University in 2019 to study graphic design. The COVID-19 pandemic became a pivotal moment, as he began painting and distributing his artwork at parties, quickly establishing a strong social media presence.
His debut exhibition at Truman Brewery on Brick Lane in September 2021 marked his entry into London’s art scene. In an interview, he expressed a detached view of his work, stating, “I don’t even know why people want this … I wouldn’t buy this…”
Slawn’s talent soon attracted major collaborations. He worked with luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Nike, Fly Emirates and Ferrari, showcasing his ability to merge his Yoruba heritage with the gritty vibrancy of urban London.
A significant milestone came in 2023 when he designed the Britannia statuette for the BRIT Awards, becoming the youngest person and the first Nigerian-born artist to do so. This achievement, detailed in sources like Art News Africa and The Independent, underscored his rising status in the art world.
The pinnacle of Slawn’s career to date occurred in 2025, when he became the first artist globally to have his artwork featured on an F1 car racing at the British Grand Prix, held at Silverstone. Partnering with Racing Bulls (part of the Red Bull family) and fashion brand Hugo, Slawn designed a special livery for the team’s VCARB 02 cars, as well as the race suits and staff kits.
The cars, driven by Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar, showcased his signature graffiti-style artwork, bringing a bold, new aesthetic to the track. This collaboration was widely reported in Motorsport.com and Hypebeast, with Slawn sharing on Instagram, “First artist in the world to have his work on an F1 car that’s going to race in the British GP. Painting the way, one vehicle at a time.”
In an interview with Motorsport.com, he described the process as “very collaborative,” noting, “You’ve got to think about the curvature and everything… I don’t think I’m equipped to make any changes for the car to go faster, so I’ll just give them some graphics.”
This milestone, confirmed by multiple X posts, highlights Slawn’s versatility and growing influence. The collaboration extended off-track, with Hugo setting up a Race Car Café at Slawn’s BeauBeau’s community café in East London, featuring custom window vinyls and an F1 simulator, as noted in Formula1.com. Slawn’s connection to F1, inspired by Ayrton Senna’s mindset and shared with his car-obsessed young son, added a personal layer to this achievement.
