Artist Slawn Opens Largest Exhibition in NYC

Artist Olaolu Slawn, known as Slawn, has opened his largest exhibition to date in Chelsea, Manhattan. The pop-up showcase, running through July 19, features new 15" x 15" paintings, wooden sculptures, and collaborative pieces. The exhibition is presented by Saatchi Yates in partnership with Nike and Team Nigeria, coinciding with the World Cup finale.

The centerpiece of the exhibition includes several 15"x15" paintings, with one artwork having been featured on the Nigerian Super Eagles' 2026 third kit. This particular piece depicts a complex arrangement of Slawn’s signature cartoonish characters set against chaotic green geometry. Other paintings in the exhibition utilize grayscale interpretations of the kit artwork and vibrant fields of color overlaid with graffiti-style faces. The adjoining galleries display more figure-forward works, including a piece titled "Big Bird vs. Batman."

Wooden sculptures are also integrated into the exhibition space, exploring themes of unity, competition, and defeat, which are central to football. Collaborators and friends of Slawn have contributed to the show, including designer Asspizza, who created a large flag from the artist's canvas scraps. Performance artist Thelonious Stokes also delivered a live performance during the opening.

The exhibition also highlights Slawn's work with Nike, featuring a display of a recently designed football and Nike R10 boots for Ronaldinho. Throughout the weekend, Saatchi Yates is hosting a mini Nike x Slawn store within the gallery, offering accessories from the Nigeria "X2" '26 collection.