Biography
Raheem Saladeen Johnson, known as King Saladeen, is a contemporary artist from West Philadelphia, born in 1983. Drawn to drawing from the age of five, he first pursued basketball, a path that earned him an NCAA scholarship to the University of Kansas before a teenage car accident steered him back toward painting.
Returning to Philadelphia after college, he worked for a clothing brand and at a local youth center before founding the Saladeen Art Group in 2011 and holding his first solo shows in Hollywood and Miami in 2014. His signature stylized bears — the 'Money Bears' — quickly took hold in the urban art scene, opening doors to Art Basel, Neiman Marcus storefronts, and collaborations with Nike, the NFL, and Mercedes.
Rooted in an aesthetic blending street art, pop culture, and abstract expressionism, the artist was honored in 2025 with the Arts and Crafts Visionary Artist Award at the Mural Arts Philadelphia Wall Ball. His work often explores resilience and tribute, a dimension that peaks in the 'Brotherly Love' mural unveiled in June 2024 in the Northern Liberties district.
Returning to Philadelphia after college, he worked for a clothing brand and at a local youth center before founding the Saladeen Art Group in 2011 and holding his first solo shows in Hollywood and Miami in 2014. His signature stylized bears — the 'Money Bears' — quickly took hold in the urban art scene, opening doors to Art Basel, Neiman Marcus storefronts, and collaborations with Nike, the NFL, and Mercedes.
Rooted in an aesthetic blending street art, pop culture, and abstract expressionism, the artist was honored in 2025 with the Arts and Crafts Visionary Artist Award at the Mural Arts Philadelphia Wall Ball. His work often explores resilience and tribute, a dimension that peaks in the 'Brotherly Love' mural unveiled in June 2024 in the Northern Liberties district.
The site contains a total of 1 artworks by King Saladeen in 1 countries.
