Olaolu “Slawn” Akeredolu-Ale has painted what is reportedly the world’s largest crane artwork. Instead of the usual show of national pride, some Nigerians are displeased.
During Frieze Week in London, the Nigerian-born artist painted on a canvas suspended from a crane. The entire scene looked less like a traditional art project and more like a carefully staged spectacle. Within hours, Nigerians online had turned the moment into a full-blown debate.
What Is Slawn’s Art Style?
Olaolu Slawn has said in several interviews that: 
“I still don’t know how to make art and that’s why I don’t call myself an artist.”
However, he mixes the chaotic energy of abstract expressionism with graffiti in his paintings. His works have bold colours, messy lines, and signature cartoonish faces that look deliberately unfinished.
Some see his work as artistic freedom and honesty. Others look at the same pieces and see something a two-year-old could paint. This exact debate exploded after the crane painting dropped.
‘Even a Toddler Could Do Better’: Nigerian’s React to Olaolu Slawn’s Crane Artwork
The reactions to Olaolu Slawn’s crane artwork have not been subtle, with some Nigerians questioning his work and how they continue to attract attention despite the criticism.
One fan openly wondered how the artist keeps getting away with what many consider “bullshit,” seemingly struggling to understand how such work continues to command attention.
Another had no intention of sugar-coating their opinion. He dismissed the painting as trash and argued that even a toddler could produce something better.
Someone else compared it to the kind of artwork a fine art teacher would flog a student for submitting in JSS1, suggesting the piece looked more like a poorly executed school assignment than something worthy of serious artistic attention.
Others admitted they respected the hustle behind the work but still couldn’t wrap their heads around the final result.
Another commenter offered a more cynical take, suggesting that once someone has enough motion and visibility, almost anything they put out can be presented as art and attract an audience.
From Lagos Skate Parks to the Global Stage
The motion argument is hard to ignore. Slawn was born in Lagos in 2000, rose through Nigeria’s skate scene before he moved to London.
In a few years, he went from handing out paintings at parties to designing the BRIT Awards statuette (the youngest and first Nigerian-born artist to do so).
He has created work for the FA Cup, collaborated with Nike and Louis Vuitton, put his art on a Formula 1 car, and watched his 1,000-canvas show at Saatchi Yates sell out almost overnight.
That level of cultural capital is exactly why Olaolu Slawn’s crane artwork in the middle of London becomes a national conversation instead of a forgotten feat.
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