Slawn | Strongman (Popeye)

Slawn — Strongman (Popeye)

Slawn, born Olaolu Akeredolu-Ale in Lagos, Nigeria in 2000, is a London-based artist known for intersecting street art with Abstract Expressionist styles, drawing on his Yoruba heritage. He began painting during London's 2020 lockdown after moving to the city to study graphic design at Middlesex University, and held his debut exhibition at Truman Brewery in 2021. His rapid rise has included a 2022 Sotheby's auction debut and designing the statuette and set for the 2023 Brit Awards — becoming the youngest and first Nigerian-born artist to do so — followed by the 2024 FA Cup Trophy.

Strongman develops Slawn's engagement with the spinach-fuelled sailor archetype through his own distinctive visual language — the transformation of weakness into strength through something simple and absurd, the working-class hero whose power comes from unexpected sources. For a young Nigerian-British artist whose own rise has been equally unexpected, the reference carries personal as well as cultural weight.

Available through Creed Gallery, Ascot, for collectors across Berkshire, Surrey, and London.

Limited edition
Certificate of Authenticity

Click here to view the whole collection