Iwi Lahcen

Lahcen Iwi is a rising star in Moroccan and global recuperative art. His speciality ? Sculpt old tires and turn them into true works of art.

He has been increasingly recognized for the singularity of his art. This holder of a degree in English literature, and father of a 12-year-old daughter, began working on his favorite material at the age of 8. He is one of the few artists in the world to have developed his own techniques and artistic approach around the recovery of tires.

Lahcen does not fail to remind him whenever the opportunity arises. His art, he owes it first to his father Abdellah Iwi. “I am an Aquarius sign, and my father made – in the old fashioned way – buckets and sometimes jars for daily use", he confides to us with a smile. “My father was my first teacher and my first inspiration. Before him, my grandfather also did the same job," he adds.

Little by little, Lahcen developed and improved his processes to move from the shaping of utilitarian objects to the creation of finished works. He always starts by creating a wooden structure which he then covers from tire scraps. To achieve the desired result, the sculptor uses tools and wheels of all kinds.

Ranging from the thickest tractor tires to the thinnest inner tubes. For the artist, everything is good to vary the textures. In the end, the result is stunning. The precision of the forms and the quality of the finish are the edifying signs of Lahcen's talent.