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Where most people see used tyres and see waste, Lahcen Iwi sees the tools of his creative process.
One of Morocco’s best sculptors and a world restorative artist, Iwi specialises in sculpting old tyres which he transforms into genuine works of art.
Though he holds a degree in English Literature, sculpture is his first love and he has been working on this material of choice since he was 8 years old. He is one of a few artists in the world to have developed his own techniques and artistic approach which revolves around the reuse of tyres; an art style he inherited from his father
From thick tractor tyres to the finest tubes, the artist uses whatever he finds good for a variety of textures. The end result is stunning. The precision of shapes and the quality of the finishing touches attest to the talent of Lahcen.He makes his own tools Thanks to his empirical know-how, Iwi is not a beginner.
Since his childhood he spent a large part of his free time trying to improve his work. To that end, he made and refined his own tools. To the exception of his father, Lahcen’s art is only owed to his own efforts and research.He lives on his art sometimes, several months are needed to complete a single piece of art. Yet, Lahcen’s source of income is his art. His dream is simple: to continue perfecting his artistic approach in an environment-friendly way. To reach that goal, the artist invested in activities relating to design and sculpting. Lahcen is creative, persistent, innovative and environment-friendly.
Lahcen always recalls that he owes his art to his father Abdellah Iwi.
“My dad crafted traditional buckets and sometimes jars for daily use,” he said with a smile. “My father was my first teacher and first source of inspiration. Before him, my grandfather used to have the same job,” he added.
Lahcen developed and improved his methods, moving from shaping utilitarian objects to the creation of accomplished works.
Source:Morroco in Action
