Today, I write with a heart that feels unbearably heavy.
It is with profound sorrow that I share the news of the passing of Faisal Azad, known to many as Salazad, the creator behind salazad.com.
The Indonesian papercraft community has lost a mentor, a pioneer, and a defining figure. And I have lost a friend and a source of inspiration.
Faisal Azad “Salazad” was an Indonesian paper toy artist whom I deeply admired. He was a very private person, yet always warm and kind. He worked quietly, consistently, and with extraordinary dedication. Over the years, he created countless projects that inspired makers not only in Indonesia, but around the world.
I am still in shock. Just hours before the news reached me through the Indonesian papercraft community, his X account was active. The suddenness of his passing makes this loss even harder to comprehend. It feels unreal.
Salazad leaves behind a body of work that is immense in both quantity and spirit. His creations were not merely templates. They carried imagination, discipline, and generosity. Through paper, he built worlds. Through his generosity in sharing, he built community.
From Vietnam, Paper Iconic extends its deepest condolences to Salazad’s family and loved ones. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
The global papercraft community mourns today. And yet, in every model assembled from his designs, his presence remains. His legacy lives on in the hands of creators who continue to fold, cut, and build with the same passion he embodied.
