Levi Hawken Biography: Parents, Age, Height, Net Worth, Wife, Career, Ethnicity

Levi Hawken is a talented New Zealand contemporary artist, sculptor, graffiti artist, and skateboarder recognized for his distinctive brutalist and modernist works in materials like concrete, glass, bronze, and wood.

Best known internationally for the viral “Nek Minnit” meme from 2011, he has built a respected career in visual arts while maintaining deep roots in skate culture, particularly downhill skating and hill bombing in Auckland.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Levi Hawken
• Stage Name: Levi Hawken
• Born: 1975
• Age: 51 years old
• Birthplace: Glen Innes, Auckland, New Zealand
• Nationality: New Zealander
• Ethnicity: European/New Zealander
• Occupation: Contemporary Artist, Sculptor, Graffiti Artist, and Skateboarder
• Height: 179 cm
• Religion: Unknown
• Parents: Mr. Hawken and Mrs. Hawken
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Unknown
• Children: Unknown
• Relationship: Unknown
• Net Worth: $2 million USD

Early Life and Education

Levi Hawken is a talented New Zealand contemporary artist, sculptor, graffiti artist, and skateboarder.

He was born in 1975 in Glen Innes, Auckland, New Zealand.

Raised by his parents, Mr. Hawken and Mrs. Hawken, in an eastern Auckland suburb, he developed an early passion for skateboarding and street art.

He began painting graffiti in the mid-1990s, embracing the culture’s discipline while pushing creative boundaries.

Specific details about his formal education are not widely documented, but his hands-on experience in skate parks and urban environments shaped his artistic path more than traditional schooling.

His ethnicity is European/New Zealander. His religion is unknown.

Career

Levi Hawken started as a graffiti artist in Auckland during the mid-1990s, covering city walls and honing his style within the local scene.

He transitioned into professional skateboarding, riding for brands like Blue Tile Lounge, Boom Skateboards, and Sector 9, and became known for his downhill and hill bombing runs that captured Auckland’s raw urban energy.

In 2011, a casual skate video featuring his distinctive delivery of “Nek minnit” (a Kiwi slang for “next minute”) went viral, turning him into an internet sensation and meme icon that spread worldwide.

While the fame brought challenges, including unwanted attention tied to his appearance from ectodermal dysplasia, he channeled his experiences into art.

His contemporary practice explores modernism and brutalism through sculptures and paintings, often drawing from skate culture, nature, and urban influences.

Works appear in galleries like Fiksate and Riverhaven Artland, with pieces in concrete, glass, bronze, and wood.

He has featured in documentaries reflecting on viral fame and continues to create, exhibit, and collaborate in New Zealand’s art community while staying active in skateboarding.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @levihawken
• Facebook Handle: LeviHawken
• Twitter Handle: @Nekusminitus
• YouTube Handle: LeviHawken

Personal Life

Levi Hawken, 51, is a talented New Zealand contemporary artist, sculptor, graffiti artist, and skateboarder.

He keeps his personal life private, with limited public details about relationships, spouse, or children.

Living and working in Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau), he has openly discussed the impact of viral fame and his genetic condition, ectodermal dysplasia, which affects his appearance and has been part of his story since the meme’s rise.

He remains grounded in skate culture and art, often sharing process updates and reflections on his journey.

Net Worth

Levi Hawken is a talented New Zealand contemporary artist, sculptor, graffiti artist, and skateboarder.

Net worth is estimated at $2 million USD.

His income primarily comes from art sales and commissions, sculpture exhibitions, brand collaborations in skateboarding, merchandise, and occasional media appearances tied to his cultural impact.