Abdullah Ahmed Khan ( ur, , born 1990)
[Qamar, Saadia (July 30, 2012)]
Sanki King’s graffiti knows no boundaries
''The Express Tribune
''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...
''. professionally known as Sanki ( ur, ) or Sanki King is a
Pakistani graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
,
calligraffiti
Calligraffiti is an art form that combines calligraphy, typography, and graffiti. It can be classified as either abstract expressionism or abstract vandalism. It is defined as a visual art that integrates letters into compositions that attempt to ...
and
street artist
A street artist is a person who makes art in public places. Street artists include portrait artists, caricaturists, graffiti artists, muralists and people making crafts. Street artists can also refer to street performers such as musicians, acrob ...
, occasionally painting live as part of his exhibits, and collaborating with fashion designers featuring his artwork. He has also works in sneaker art,
sticker art
Sticker art (also known as sticker bombing, sticker slapping, slap tagging, and sticker tagging) is a form of street art in which an image or message is publicly displayed using stickers. These stickers may promote a political agenda, comment o ...
,
b-boying
Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...
and
parkour
Parkour () is an athletic training discipline or sport in which practitioners (called ''traceurs'') attempt to get from point A to point B in the fastest and most efficient way possible, without assisting equipment and often while performing a ...
in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.
[Nasir Ahmad, Fouzia (December 22, 2013)]
Don't call me Banksy
''DAWN
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's hori ...
''.[Mustefa, Zab (July 22, 2012),]
Street Smart, Cover story
''The Express Tribune
''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...
''.[Ahmed, Talha (January 22, 201]
'SANKI' COLORS IT ALL: THE FIRST GRAFFITI ARTIST OF PAKISTAN
''Youlin Magazine''.[Varma, Nandini (May 25, 2014)]
Graffiti artist brings hip hop to the streets
''Campus Diaries''.
Early life
Sanki was born in
Jeddah
Jeddah ( ), also spelled Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; ar, , Jidda, ), is a city in the Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the country's commercial center. Established in the 6th century BC as a fishing village, Jeddah's pro ...
,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. His father worked at the
Islamic Development Bank
The Islamic Development Bank ( ar, البنك الإسلامي للتنمية, abbreviated as IsDB) is a multilateral development finance institution that is focused on Islamic finance for infrastructure development and located in Jeddah, Saudi A ...
.
Both his art teachers and father encouraged him to pursue art.
[Husain, Marjorie (June 12, 2016)]
Portfolio: The writing on the wall
''DAWN
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's hori ...
''. He was also interested in
BMX, boxing and floor gymnastics.
Career
While playing
Counter-Strike
''Counter-Strike'' (''CS'') is a series of multiplayer tactical first-person shooter video games in which teams of terrorists battle to perpetrate an act of terror (bombing, hostage-taking, assassination) while counter-terrorists try to preven ...
as a teenager, another player described him as ‘Sanki’
(eccentric, slightly mad) and he adopted it as his moniker. The artist claims it also means 'deep thinker'.
In 2008, Sanki started his career as a professional performing artist after being photographed by
Tapu Javeri
Tapu Javeri (Urdu: ; born Mustapha Farabi Javeri on 5 May 1965) is a Pakistani fashion and art photographer, radio host, television judge and jewellery designer. He works as a freelance photographer and was the photo editor of the Xtra magaz ...
while
freerunning
Freerunning is an athletic and acrobatic discipline incorporating an aesthetic element, and can be considered either a sport or a performance art, or both. Freerunning is similar to parkour, from which it is derived, but emphasizes artistry over ...
in a park in Karachi, later performing at the launch of
Style 360
Hum Network Limited or Hum TV Network Limited ( ur, ہم نیٹ ورک) is a Pakistani media company based in Karachi, Pakistan. It was established in February 2004 by Sultana Siddiqui.
It is a current member of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Unio ...
. From 2011, he became a professional artist, selling artwork and painting commissioned murals, and in March 2012 started his own personal studio where he works .
Graffiti
![Cafe in Zamzama](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Cafe_in_Zamzama.jpg)
Sanki did "live graffiti art" for the first time in Pakistan in July 2012 and in the same month launched his Sticker Art Movement through designs which feature
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...
, the founder of Pakistan.
In December 2012, he was chosen as the judge for a nationwide graffiti competition spread across seven cities.
[Staff Reporter (December 23, 2012)]
Tetra Pak Graffiti Competition
''The Nation
''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...
''. Some of his well-known works include ''Love Karachi'' on a bus and another, titled ''Flying Kiss'' which he painted outside the
Arts Council of Pakistan
The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi is a council for the promotion of arts and culture in Pakistan, and one of the busiest in terms of organizing events. It is the country's oldest NGO (non-government organization) for the promotion and develo ...
in 2013. He painted the tallest graffiti in Pakistan in 2014 at the Valika Cricket Ground, University of Karachi.
His creations can be seen in the areas
Nazimabad
Nazimabad ( ur, , sd, نئون ناظم آباد) is a suburb of Karachi, Pakistan. It was established in 1952, and is named after the second Governor General of Pakistan Khawaja Nazimuddin.
History
Before the independence of Pakistan, the area ...
,
North Nazimabad
North Nazimabad ( ur, نارتھ ناظم آباد) is a suburb of, Karachi, Pakistan. North Nazimabad was developed in the late 1950s as a residential area for the employees of the federal government of Pakistan, and was named after Khawaja Nazim ...
,
Zamzama
The Zamzama Gun ( ur, , meaning "thunder" or "roar", sometimes written "Zam-Zammah" or "Zam-Zammeh") also known as ''Kim’s Gun'' or ''Bhangianwali Toap'' is a large-bore cannon. It was cast in about 1757 in Lahore (present-day Pakistan) du ...
and
Clifton
Clifton may refer to:
People
*Clifton (surname)
*Clifton (given name)
Places
Australia
* Clifton, Queensland, a town
**Shire of Clifton
*Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong
*Clifton, Western Australia
Canada
*Clifton, Nova Scotia ...
outside the Sanat Gallery, painted at the opening of his very first solo exhibition, "You should know him by now", on the 4th of June 2016.
[A Correspondent(June 9, 2016]
Word on the street: Bringing graffiti art into mainstream
''The Express Tribune
''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...
''.[Khan, Nimra (June 10, 2016)]
Pakistan's First Serious Graffiti Artist Sanki King Enters The Art World With His First Exhibit
''DAWN
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's hori ...
''.
King is the only Pakistani artist to have been invited to graffiti crews Beyond Mankind Krew (BMK, founded 1991,
Queens
Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
) and Experienced Vandals (Ex-Vandals, founded 1979,
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
). Ex-Vandals is one of the first graffiti crews in the world.
[A Correspondent (June 30, 2015)]
Multi-talented Pakistani Street Artist 'Sanki King' excels nationally and achieves international recognition as well!
''House of Pakistan''. Sanki's work is featured in Nicholas Ganz’s book, ''Street Messages'', published in April 2015.
[Subzwari, Shanzay (May, 2015)]
Sanki King: The Graffiti Artist Mastermind
''ArtNow Magazine''.[Qamar, Saadia (April 17, 2015)]
From shadowy times to vivid walls
''The Express Tribune
''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...
''. In 2017, he collaborated with Mumbai-based artist Zeenat Kulavoor for Urdu calligraphic conversation project ''Pehle Aap''. He also participated in Karachi Biennale 2017 with his work ''Mind Palace''.
Custom-painting and fashion
Sanki King is known for his
graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
art designs for
sneakers
Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used fo ...
, using
paint
Paint is any pigmented liquid, liquefiable, or solid mastic composition that, after application to a substrate in a thin layer, converts to a solid film. It is most commonly used to protect, color, or provide texture. Paint can be made in many ...
,
marker pen
A marker pen, fine liner, marking pen, felt-tip pen, felt pen, flow marker, sign pen (in South Korea), vivid (in New Zealand), texta (in Australia), sketch pen (in South Asia) or koki (in South Africa), is a pen which has its own ink source a ...
s and
stencils
Stencilling produces an image or pattern on a surface, by applying pigment to a surface through an intermediate object, with designed holes in the intermediate object, to create a pattern or image on a surface, by allowing the pigment to reach ...
.
He now runs his own company making custom-painted sneakers and apparel, as well as organizing dance and graffiti workshops.
In 2014, Sanki worked for the first time with a local designer brand Zeb-Tan. He collaborated with The House of Arsalan Iqbal for the collection ‘Desirably Distressed’, which came out in March 2015. He said, “In 2012, I painted a shutter in Arsalan Iqbal’s store. Since Iqbal travels a lot, he finds graffiti very inspiring. Then in May 2014 we worked on a collaborative venture for the next 10 months”
[Desirably Distressed, Issue 81, page 54. March 22, 2015](_blank)
''Paperazzi Magazine''. Another collection of footwear and jewellery incorporating his designs "Devolution Chic" was showcased a month later at the 8th
PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2015.
[Press Release (April 22, 2015)]
PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week: Day-4 Journal
''Pakistan Today
''Pakistan Today'' is a Pakistani English-language daily newspaper, published by Nawa Media Corporation from three Pakistani cities Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab; Karachi, Sindh; and Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory. The newspaper late ...
''.[Fayyaz, Yousaf (April 21, 2015)]
House of Arslan Iqbal At PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2015
''Ebuzz Today''.
B-boying and parkour
In 2008, King began a
b-boying
Breakdancing, also called breaking or b-boying/b-girling, is an athletic style of street dance originating from the African American and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. While diverse in the amount of variation available in ...
crew in Karachi who organized as Unknown Crew (UC) in 2010. They have performed for
Jaag TV
G News Network, commonly known as GNN, is a Pakistani 24-hour news and current affairs channel based in Lahore, Pakistan. It is owned and operated by Gourmet Foods.
It was launched in 2005 as CNBC Pakistan under a license from CNBC Asia Pacific ...
(previously known as CNBC Pakistan),
HP Inc
HP Inc. is an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, that develops personal computers (PCs), printers and related supplies, as well as 3D printing solutions.
It was formed on Novembe ...
,
Caltex
Caltex is a petroleum brand name of Chevron Corporation used in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Southern Africa. It is also the brand name of non-Chevron petroleum companies in some countries (such as New Zealand, and previously ...
,
Play TV,
Lux Style Awards
The Lux Style Awards is an award ceremony held annually in Pakistan since 2002. The awards celebrate "style" in the Pakistani entertainment industry, and it is the oldest event dedicated to cinema, television, fashion, music and film industry ...
and a number of music videos.
Personal life
Sanki King lives and works in
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
.
See also
*
List of street artists
This is a list of notable street artists.
Africa Egypt
* Alaa Awad - street art, painter
* Aya Tarek – graffiti
* Chico – stencil graffiti, street art
* El Teneen – graffiti
* Ganzeer – stencil graffiti
* Keizer – stenc ...
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
;Books
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
Facebook
{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Sanki
Living people
Pakistani graffiti artists
1990 births
Street artists
Pakistani contemporary artists
21st-century Pakistani painters
Artists from Karachi
Traceurs