Anton Laborde

Woodworker

©Gaëtan Leprevost

©Courtesy of the artist and Galerie REVEL

Dreams made of wooden jungles

Anton creates intricate, large-scale artworks of abstract jungles in wood
He combines traditional marquetry with his own cutting technique
His metaphorical, contemporary pieces are made with natural materials

Anton Larborde transforms delicate wood veneers into richly layered artworks. Through his pieces, he explores the complex relationship between humans, nature and society. Anton was trained in fine arts in India and attended the Compagnons du Tour de France's woodworking programme. He combines traditional marquetry techniques with innovative methods of hand cutting, tinting and assembling wood veneers. "I use a unique technique to create large-scale jungles, which are symbolic ecosystems that invite viewers into a space of imagination and reflection," he says. Anton's work balances deep respect for natural, traditional materials with personal technical experimentation. This results in pieces that are rooted in heritage yet are still strikingly contemporary.

Interview

How did you learn your craft?: I first took a fine arts initiation course in Auroville in India, then I trained as a cabinetmaker with the Compagnons du Tour de France. There, I completed my formal studies and travelled around France to learn from different craftspeople, including masters Kenji Matsumoto and Joseph Walsh.
How did you develop your signature style?: I chose to work with wood when I was 15, and gradually moved from craftsmanship towards artistic creation. After opening my own atelier in 2019, I innovated techniques to tint and cut wood veneers freely. This allowed me to build my complex, layered jungles.
Is there a difference between your technique and traditional marquetry?: Unlike typical marquetry, which often follows strict sizes and figurative patterns, my technique involves free-dimension cutting and layering of tinted wood sheets. It allows for a more abstract, imaginative approach that conveys paradoxes and metaphors.
What inspires your artistic vision?: I am deeply inspired by humankind, our contradictory relationship with nature and manufactured objects, and social organisation. My jungles serve as metaphoric ecosystems that reflect these tensions, inviting viewers to invent new meanings beyond realism.

Anton Laborde is a rising star: he began his career in 2017 and he started teaching in 2020