ART OR APPROPRIATION? SLAWN DENIES KAWS COLLABORATION

British-Nigerian artist Olaolu Slawn has responded to the buzz around his recent public tribute to KAWS involving shark imagery, clarifying that the piece was meant as homage, not an endorsed collaboration.

Slawn’s sculptural piece, featuring a pale, grinning shark head with X‑eyes, prompted heated debate about when inspiration becomes imitation. Originally posted on his Instagram, the work drew comparisons to KAWS’ signature cartoon sharks, prompting questions about appropriation. In response, Slawn emphasized that it was a personal tribute rooted in admiration, not a commissioned or licensed partnership.

Critics and fans alike have framed the piece as evidence of a broader double standard in the art world: Western artists are often celebrated for referencing pop‑culture imagery, while artists of color risk being accused of copying. Slawn’s denial of collaboration adds fuel to that debate, pushing against binary labels of “homage vs. theft” and highlighting issues of artistic ownership and cultural remix.

In previous interviews, Slawn has described himself as a “scam artist,” preferring a playful form of self‑positioning that questions conventional norms. His intention, critics argue, is to reclaim and reframe dominant visual languages in a way that starts conversations.

Cases like these raise tough questions: who gets to borrow imagery, and under what conditions? For now, Slawn’s tracking record of unapologetic self‑expression and visual reappropriation shows he won’t be easily boxed in by art‑world conventions.

Despite all the debate surrounding this, Slawn kept the energy going in London by handing out nearly 500 tees to fans who knew it wasn’t official.