Draft:Adam J. Elkhadem

Adam Joseph Elkhadem (25 July 1996 – 28 May 2023) was an American artist, writer, and cartoonist whose best-known creations are the serialised comics Octave and Gluck.

Early Life and Education
Adam Joseph Elkhadem was born in Houston, Texas on July 25th, 1996 to Megan Lazarou and Joseph Elkhadem. Elkhadem graduated from the High School of Performing and Visual Arts in 2014 and Columbia University in 2018, where he studied political science and art history.

Career
Elkhadem's career started as an artist, as he had his work featured in several art galleries and museums in the Houston area, including The G Spot and Art League of Houston. His works gained critical acclaim from an early age, and he had his work shown in Carnegie Hall after winning the Gold Key Award through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program.

Elkhadem studied visual arts at Houston's prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. His work was displayed at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and he was named an honorable mention in the YoungArts visual arts division.

After high school, Elkhadem attended Columbia University in the New York City, New York, where he continued his work as an artist by creating pieces for commission. It was during this time that he started his work as an album cover designer. His commissioned work for Texas band Laktating Yak gained Elkhadem the attention of filmmaker Nanna Olsen, who featured the piece, along with his likeness, in her film Visions of Adam. He was an active member of the Columbia Academic Awards Committee and helped to select the winners for prestigious faculty awards, such as the Lionel Trilling Book Award and Mark Van Doren Teaching Award.

Elkhadem graduated magna cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa upon graduation. He was also selected as the recipient of the David B. Truman Alumni Award, presented to the single Columbia College student each year who makes the most distinguished contribution to the academic affairs of the College.

After graduating Columbia in 2018, Elkhadem continued to produce art for commission. He made dozens of album covers which were subsequently made into promotional materials and merchandise.

Personal Life
He founded a Facebook group dedicated to posting pictures of single lost gloves which boasts over a thousand members and remains active as of 2024.

Elkhadem co-created a podcast “Dripping with Fuzz” which focused on cassette culture.

In 2024, the Adam J. Elkhadem Foundation was founded to provide financial and practical resources for artists to complete a performing and/or visual art project.

Selected Works and Bibliography

 * Octave (Caesura Magazine, 2022, ISBN 978-1-7376953-1-8)
 * dad sports album covers