Sanki King’s graffiti knows no boundaries

A young entrepreneur explores new avenues of creativity and art.

KARACHI:

Abdullah Ahmed Khan aka Sanki King, is a 22-year-old self made graffiti artist in Pakistan. A member of an old-school American graffiti crew in New York, Beyond Mankind Krew (BMK), some would go as far as saying that Sanki is the pioneer of graffiti art in the country.

He started his journey as a graffiti artist in 2006, around the same time that he became serious about hip-hop. Having mastered multiple elements of hip-hop such as Parkour and B-boying, Sanki has also recently claimed the title of the only “super hip hopper” of Pakistan.

Besides hip-hop, Sanki received praise for his endeavours once he started doing graffiti art on sneakers. In an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune, he sheds some light on his undertakings. Khan explains that he was introduced to this culture at an impressionable and early age through movies such as You Got Served and then worked to expand his passion by learning the ropes through Google and YouTube on the internet.

He first learnt to draw sketches and then expanded his canvas. “I started out with painting shirts, moved next to bags but realised that you need space to paint on bags and this one experiment wasn’t too fruitful but only recently I started out with graffiti on sneakers with markers, paints and stencils!” he proclaimed excitedly.

Sanki further explains that he uses 20 different colours along with two types of paints, including matt finish and pearl fabric colours, which also reflect light. Initially, the sneakers he started painting could be bought for Rs3,000 but now that he seems to have mastered the craft in a short span of time he says he would now charge “according to the complexity of designs.”

Paint and graffiti has been such a passion for him that he is always finding different avenues to explore and build upon. So much so, that he hopes to paint a bus. “I will do this soon for sure, starting with the abandoned buses near my home in North Nazimabad,” he joyfully stated.

He recently launched his Sticker Art Movement this July through his Facebook page, with rather interesting designs; including one sticker of the Father of the Nation with a cigar in his right hand, and a spray can in the left one with a sign which reads ‘Remember Me’.

For the first time in Pakistan, Sanki King did live graffiti in public at the Karachi International Food and Culture Festival at the Beach View Club Park on July 8. The young entrepreneur seems to have much to offer, showing that when mixed with passion, creativity surely knows no bounds.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2012.