Ismail Zaidy - L4artist - 22 years old, born and raised in Marrakesh, Morocco. I received my baccalaureate in 2015 and went on to graduate with a BA in International Management in 2018 from Cadi Ayad in Marrakesh. Started taking pictures during summer of 2017, to express my inner perspective, around a hub of other unique creatives. My style is abstract and minimalist, by the way, my photos are taken with a Samsung Galaxy S5. My father is from Marrakesh, my mother from a small town called Oud Zem. My siblings feature in much of my work. Family is intrinsic to my creativity.

For me, photography is a family affair, that's why I launched in 2018 a project called "3aila", عائلة، family in English. My 18 year old younger brother, Othmane, plays an important role in my work: he is quite a creative person himself. My sister Fatima is 15, and they both play an important role in developing the ideas behind the pictures. We also support each other on different projects. All my photos are taken and retouched in the Sa3ada studio, a space we created on the terrace of our apartment. Sa3ada means "joyful", because that is the feeling we get while creating in this space.

To create, I start by looking for ideas: once the concept of a picture is determined, I buy accessories at the flea market and finish by setting up everything I need, always in synergy with my brothers and sisters. Family is a big part of my life: I am very close to them. Through my photographs, I try to highlight this subject, the problems, the lack of communication, the distance between siblings and their parents. For example, family estrangement is a concern that affects many but rarely talked about. I try to treat this sphere throughout my work, showing that family is one of the most precious gifts in our lives.