Rather than a retrospective, the exhibition presents a body of new works that return to the soil, humour, and irreverence that shaped the artist long before global recognition.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
British-Nigerian artist, Olaolu Slawn, has opened BOBO, a landmark exhibition at Nahous, Lagos, marking his largest presentation in Nigeria to date. The exhibition, which debuted this weekend to an electric reception from Lagos’ art and creative community, will run until February 1, 2026.
Titled after Slawn’s native name, BOBO functions as a homecoming. Rather than a retrospective, the exhibition presents a body of new works that return to the soil, humour, and irreverence that shaped the artist long before global recognition. Through paintings and sculptural forms, Slawn interrogates memory, distance, belonging, and the tension between performance and sincerity.
Infused with wit and an unexpected tenderness, the works retain Slawn’s signature playfulness while gesturing toward a more reflective emotional landscape. The opening night drew a cross-section of Lagos’ cultural ecosystem, including artists, curators, collectors, musicians, writers, skaters, and long-time followers of Slawn’s practice.
“Nahous is a space built for contemporary Nigerian creativity in its fullest expression; layered, bold, and unafraid”, said Richard Vedelago, founder of Nahous. “BOBO embodies that spirit. It’s raw, reflective, and deeply rooted in the place that shaped Slawn long before the global spotlight”.
Situated within the historic Federal Palace complex, a key site of the 1977 FESTAC World Festival of Arts & Culture, Nahous has positioned itself as one of Lagos’ most dynamic cultural destinations, bridging Nigeria’s artistic past with the future of African creativity. Hosting BOBO within this context reinforces its mission to platform voices that challenge, expand, and reimagine the cultural landscape.
For Slawn, BOBO marks a pivotal chapter: a return, a grounding, and a reclamation of both name and place, where the story began, and where it now continues on his own terms.