A première vue, les oeuvres de Alexandre Adam appear to be paintings or ink washes. Each work, however, is entirely made of wood. Adam employs marquetry, a largely decorative craft whereby various pieces of wood and other materials are inlaid to form a pattern or scene. He hand-cuts every piece of wood, stains it with all-natural dyes, and applies different types of veneers to create a rich color and subtle shading. He elevates this technique to the level of fine art by creating landscapes, portraits, and figurative pieces. “I use the knife as a brush and veneer as paint,” he explains. Although Adam works in many different genres, his favorite subjects are allegorical scenes inspired by ancient mythology, to which he gives his own slightly surreal twist. Born in Armenia, Adam worked as a graphic designer and paleontological diorama designer for the Museum of Natural History of Armenia before he decided to focus on fine art. He currently lives and works in Armenia.