noted graffiti artist turned fashion house creative director, enu sirikige has never quite been able to let go of his passion for art and it seems to have won him over. we caught up with him on the back of his recent sellout exhibition titled ‘Manu’ – this fine young man’s incredible talent is undeniable. he shares with us what inspires and drives his creativity all the while keeping him grounded and a family-man at heart.
1. my tamariki (my kids) – well what can i say. children are just amazing full stop (when they choose to be haha).i can honestly say that my kids are the best thing that has happened to me. my own little group of chaotic madness that keep’s me on my toes and love me unconditionally. the simplest little action, an unexpected cuddle or kiss from my two year old daughter, really does make a bad day good and a good day great. my youngest son noah is the best thing ever – he looks at me with the biggest smile and that little face makes me love being a dad. last but not least my two older boys, who think it is halarious to jump on dad to wake him up in the morning … (little sh*ts!)
2. kai (food) – food glorious food – weather it be confit duck or a hotdog on a stick, food is my happy place. i enjoy cooking it just as much as i enjoy eating it. sitting down with friends and family over a meal is definitely one of my favourite things to do.
3. shoes – anyone that knows me well will probably laugh if they saw this on my list of ‘six favourite things’ but it is true! i am a great fan of shoes. sneakers in particular. i have been crazy for sneakers since I was able to afford my first pair. so bad was my love for sneakers, that i would buy a new pair once a week if not twice. i have over the past two and half decades acquired an impressively large collection, predominantly made up of nike airs. i still to this day look forward to sporting a pair of new kicks if i get the chance too. (kids tend to put a lid on this sort of hobby)
4. painting and art – this speaks for itself, i find painting therapeutic and expressive. the one space i have total ownership, where i control the outcome and where i have absolute freedom to be me – it’s like the whole world shuts down around me when i paint. i feel energy when I’m being creative, a constant battle between tranquility and chaos forced through every stroke made – so invigorating!
5. fashion – fashion has played a huge part of my life – i have been in the fashion industry for 19 years now, so only natural that it became something i loved. i love clothes and all things stylish but also have an appreciation for vintage pieces. my wardrobe is quite extensive for a guy, i like to look good and you can never have enough pairs of jeans – right?
6. comics – strange as it may be, I am an avid fan of comic.rom your classic batman to japanese ronin comics, the fantasy world of graphic novels has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember and has helped me expand my visual creativity. there will always be that child inside of me – happily sitting in his room with a torch, under a blanket, reading the next dramatic exploits of some caped super hero.
