zi hounti
Biography
Zihounti was raised in a small village in the southern region of Morocco. His journey into art began under tragic circumstances—he lost his mother during the birth of his sibling, a profound loss that shaped his early life. From a young age, Zihounti channeled his emotions into drawing and painting, finding in art a powerful form of expression. Despite his family’s lack of support for his artistic ambitions, he remained determined. At just 15, he left home, committing fully to his passion and setting out on a lifelong journey dedicated to art.
Zihounti’s work is known for its vibrant, semi-figurative portraits of Moroccan people. His subjects are imbued with deep emotion, captured through expressive faces and asymmetric postures that challenge traditional forms. His use of bold, radiant colors gives each painting a sense of movement and life, while his energetic brushstrokes add layers of intensity. The unexpected interplay of color and form invites viewers into an emotional experience, where they become part of the story being told.
As he travels from city to city in search of inspiration, Zihounti has observed Morocco’s urban evolution, from its traditional roots to the embrace of modernity. The architectural shifts in cities like Casablanca have significantly influenced his artistic style, blending modern structures with the human form. Though he notes that some North Africans follow trends blindly, Zihounti believes it is possible to preserve the authenticity of the region while embracing change.
In 2016, after a year of solitude in a village, Zihounti returned to the cities to immerse himself in the energy of urban life. This shift transformed his art, infusing it with themes of urbanism, identity, and the balance between tradition and progress. His pieces now reflect the tensions of modernity, incorporating architectural forms that speak to the changing landscape of North African cities.
Zihounti is currently working on a cultural brand identity project, a collaborative effort with artists from around the world. The project aims to explore and preserve the cultural heritage of Morocco and North Africa, challenging the way people create and consume. Zihounti’s vision is to inspire reflection on the deeper reasons behind creation—inviting others to question their actions, intentions, and impact on nature and society.
For Zihounti, art is not just a craft, but a lifelong mission to understand himself, connect with others, and safeguard the cultural essence of his homeland amidst a rapidly changing world.
Where, When, How and why story
My art is a dialogue between the inner self and the world around me. I draw heavily from Cubism and Surrealism because their abstract, fragmented perspectives resonate with how I experience reality. These movements give me a framework to express emotions, thoughts, and the complexity of identity that cannot be captured in simple terms. Each piece I create is an exploration of who I am within the confines of cultural and environmental influences, yet it also reaches beyond those limits. Art is my way of understanding both the world and myself, of asking, “Who am I, and how do I relate to others?”
In my daily life, I immerse myself in the energy of vibrant spaces, quietly observing people, their emotions, their interactions. It’s a form of meditation, where I am both the observer and participant, absorbing the beauty of human existence. Through these observations, I see myself more clearly, but true understanding comes when I connect with others in an authentic way, beyond surface judgments.
My creative process mirrors this search for meaning. I begin with a sketch, a formal structure, but as I move from paper to canvas, the work becomes less about control and more about surrender. Oil paints and acrylics give me a freedom to let the piece evolve organically, where colors and shapes guide me rather than the other way around. It’s a dance between the rational and the intuitive, where I release the need for order and let the chaos of creation unfold. The interplay of colors is delicate and intense, sometimes still, sometimes dynamic, reflecting the complexity of life itself.
At the heart of my work is a spiritual surrender. There is a higher power, a force beyond me, that I align with in the act of creating. I place my trust in that guidance, letting go of ego and control. In this surrender, my art becomes a portal, a gateway into something otherworldly. Each piece tells its own story, but there is always an invitation for the viewer to move beyond the physical forms and explore something deeper, something intangible. It’s a journey inward, a call to reflect, to see the world not just as it is, but as it could be—alive with unseen forces and unspoken truths.