Gregory Krikko Obbott
Encyclopedia
Gregory "Krikko" Obbott is a contemporary Nigerian-American artist and architect who is best known for his enormous pencil drawings of city-scapes. Some of his works are on display in large public transit hubs, and can be bought from vendors at tourist attractions such as the Empire State Building
, the Statue of Liberty
, Fifth Avenue, and the Skyscraper Museum
. "Krikko" is the name he uses to sign all of his works.
, where he has continued making use of his architectural degree. In 2007 Krikko purchased the building of the former Hull Brewing Co. from the city of New Haven for $5,000. The building, located at 820 Congress Ave. atop "The Hill"
, had been abandoned since the closure of the brewery in 1977. At the time it was purchased by Krikko, the building was structurally unsound and littered with drug needles and animal waste. He plans to turn the building into "A Pencil Museum In the Hill;" a kid-friendly museum with a public gallery and studio space. The city of New Haven has embraced the project, as they seek to rebuild the surrounding area.
Outside of his profession as an artist, Krikko is a passionate jazz saxophonist, with alleged future plans to release a CD.
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
, the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
, Fifth Avenue, and the Skyscraper Museum
Skyscraper Museum
The Skyscraper Museum, located in New York City in the United States, has been the only museum of its kind in the world since opening on May 1, 1997...
. "Krikko" is the name he uses to sign all of his works.
Personal life
Krikko immigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 1974, and later attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana within the School of Arts and Architecture, graduating in 1981. Since 1990, he has been living in New Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, where he has continued making use of his architectural degree. In 2007 Krikko purchased the building of the former Hull Brewing Co. from the city of New Haven for $5,000. The building, located at 820 Congress Ave. atop "The Hill"
The Hill (New Haven)
The Hill is the southwestern-most neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut. As early as 1800, this area was known as "Sodom Hill" and is now home to Yale-New Haven Hospital and the Yale School of Medicine.- Geography :...
, had been abandoned since the closure of the brewery in 1977. At the time it was purchased by Krikko, the building was structurally unsound and littered with drug needles and animal waste. He plans to turn the building into "A Pencil Museum In the Hill;" a kid-friendly museum with a public gallery and studio space. The city of New Haven has embraced the project, as they seek to rebuild the surrounding area.
Outside of his profession as an artist, Krikko is a passionate jazz saxophonist, with alleged future plans to release a CD.
Notable works
Krikko has produced over 15,000 drawings of city buildings, many drawn from postcards and photographs. He is currently producing work through Krikko Productions offices, located on Winthrop Avenue in New Haven, CT. Some of his works include:- "Super Big Apple" (1995), a 15'x20' pencil drawing of Manhattan, NYCManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. The piece required 2,496 pencils to draw, and depicts over 10,000 buildings and 150,000 windows.