Even F1 has discovered Slawn

The world of sport has fallen in love with Slawn's work, and the latest chapter in this relationship is F1. On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Visa Cash App Racing Bulls unveiled a new livery to be showcased at Silverstone this weekend. Designed by Slawn himself, the car has been decorated with his unmistakable spray style: black spray-painted circles fill in the white that usually dominates it. The design has also been used for the apparel of the drivers, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar.

Additionally, Slawn also worked on the capsule collection created in collaboration with HUGO, which includes a brown single-breasted blazer reimagined with a caricature-style black spray paint pattern on the front, a V-neck polo shirt decorated with a paint effect, a crewneck sweatshirt, an oversized t-shirt, and a cap adorned with Slawn’s signature face and eye motifs in black, white, and HUGO red.

Before F1, it was football that approached Slawn, both privately and officially. The private route was taken by David Alaba: the Austrian defender for Real Madrid collaborated with Slawn by commissioning nine works of art—nine paintings featuring abstract marker drawings—later displayed in the player's living room like a modern art installation.

The official route was taken by the Football Association just a few weeks ago when it commissioned Slawn to create a series of artworks to be displayed at the FA Cup final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City. Specifically, Slawn enhanced the event’s aesthetic by designing two posters, one for each team, which were applied to the sides of the entrance tunnel at Wembley, along with banners placed on the field during the teams' entrance.

This list of examples also includes the collaboration with Nike, which led to a reinterpretation of an Air Max 90 model featuring an all-over speckled effect and raised details. All signs that Slawn’s unique style has begun to influence both sports aesthetics and fashion. And the impression, but more importantly the hope, is that what we’ve seen so far is just the beginning. A continuous blending of the rigid boundaries of sport's traditions and the abstract visions of a contemporary artist on the rise to redefine aesthetics.