Slawn's 2023 BRIT Award trophy revealed

Slawn is the latest artist to design the BRIT Award, following in the footsteps of previous designers Dame Vivienne Westwood, Sir Peter Blake, Tracey Emin, Dame Zaha Hadid, Sir David Adjaye and Es Devlin, and Yinka Ilori.

The London-based, Nigerian-born artist, who has worked with Virgil Abloh, Skepta, and Central Cee, said, "I'm overjoyed and honoured to have been chosen. It is an incredible privilege to have the opportunity to take part in this celebration of fellow creatives since The BRITs are an iconic, self-named celebration of British creativity, and a genuine testament to the richness of talent-making and producing music both in this nation and throughout the world. The BRIT Awards are a classic celebration of global talent and a powerful forum to genuinely reflect on the shifting nature of culture and the contribution of people to that culture."

The #BRITs 2023 trophy is here, and it's had a big transformation courtesy of artist, @olaoluslawn!

"The concept behind the sculpture is 'hats off to you'. My decision to remove the helmet from the award is my way of thanking The BRITs for providing me with this opportunity." pic.twitter.com/FadZxdN1Lt

— BRIT Awards (@BRITs) November 24, 2022

He says of the trophy design, "I wanted to design an award that had a sense of refinement and playfulness at the same time. I am conscious of the narrow line I tread between conventional art and the entertainment industry. I wanted to convey feelings of gratitude and celebration since I know that opportunities such as this don't come along very frequently for individuals like myself. The concept behind the sculpture is "hats off to you". My decision to remove the helmet from the award is my way of thanking The BRITs for providing me with this opportunity. I hope that seeing this award inspires not only the British populace, but individuals across the world, including myself, that these feats are achievable."

"I’ve created something that I am extremely proud of that I feel represents my past, present and future," Slawn adds. "The placement of the arms and the decision to have three heads meant that I could create an award that shows a different perspective at every angle. Growing up in Lagos I was surrounded by bronze sculptures, so they have a very nostalgic feel to me. I also wanted to commemorate and incorporate my roots into the design. I hope that in creating this award this is just the start of my journey in providing more opportunity for young people to realise that these achievements are possible with the right support."