“Enabling the images from your head to be shared with others – that is the purpose of art.”
Khalid and Rachid Zerrou were born in Leiden, Holland in 1978 and 1982 respectively, to Moroccan immigrants. Growing up in a family of eight, the brothers tapped into their creativity early on, taking apart their toys and finding imaginative solutions to understand how things worked. Before discovering paper art, Khalid studied mechanical engineering and Rachid, chemistry. Both are trained in photography. Khalid was instantly drawn to the role of light and shadow in this form of art, while Rachid was fascinated by the cultural connection he felt to the paper designs. Specifically, the intricate patterns reminded the brothers of their Uncle’s tile workshop in Oujda, where, as children, they were profoundly affected by the craftmanship and complex patterns of the Moroccan mosaic tiles.
Today, the brothers share a studio in Leiden, where they eagerly meet in the evenings to work on their latest works, individually. Both are deeply inspired by their book of Islamic Geometry - an unparalleled source of ingenuity and beauty in their eyes.
Once the idea is set, the process continues and “the curiosity about the end result begins.” A 2D drawing is promptly followed by a 3D version, that allows the different shapes to be expanded digitally before they are printed, cut out, assembled and finally, glued onto a large sheet of paper. Often, the piece evolves along the way and the finished artwork is different in real life due to the final poignant factors: light, shadow and colour.
