THE SOUL OF WOOD

Akim Zerouali is a reborn sculptor. He carved his first miniature totem-like shapes out of pencils while in primary school, using the blade of his pencil sharpener. During 25 years working as an art director in Paris, France, woodcarving has remained his favorite creative medium and a way of deep refocusing. Akim moved to New York in 2018 and turned his passion into a full-time occupation. When crafting a piece, he teams with the piece of wood without any preconceived shape in mind. He approaches each piece with respect. He observes and feels, eager to sense and reveal the story it has to tell. The unique lines and forms of his works are dictated by the grain and structure of the wood itself. Akim feels like a medium through which each body of wood reveals its unique soul. Akim returned to Paris in 2020 and has his own studio near Paris.