Art and the devotion of a teacher led KB Aziz out of depression and gave him a purpose in life. That is what I like the most about his story. Although getting it out of him was not easy despite him being the one who contacted me in the first place.

It took some coaxing and the realisation that he was not comfortable communicating in English to get the story out of him. It took weeks. I almost slotted him for Next-Gen instead of a feature.

To my eyes, his art is dark and haunting, but to him, it speaks of hope, encouragement, and perseverance. Perhaps it takes some time to understand after all my understanding is only at the surface level.

He shared with me the family problems that loomed over him when he was in school.  The issues that led him on a path to becoming a problem. The darkness that led him to light thanks to a teacher’s encouragement.

The talent is apparent, but he has some ways to go. But right now, it looks like he is on the right path, doing all he can to get his work noticed. And I am glad I could help, even if it is just a little bit.

You can follow KB Aziz on his Instagram or his budding YouTube channel.