Aleksandr Zakharov was born in Moscow in 1960. In 1980 he graduated from the Academy of the Arts in Moscow and in 1982 joined the Union of Artists. Throughout the late 1980s he exhibited his works in Europe, including museums and galleries in Yugoslavia, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and England. He also participated in the exhibitions and activities of the Furmannyi pereulok Group.
In 1990 Zakharov emigrated to the United States and moved to New York City. Since then his work has appeared in museums throughout the United States, and he has received support for his artistic activities from such institutions as the Pollack-Krasner Foundation. He has had several one-man exhibitions since moving to the United States, including, most recently, shows in Hong Kong and New York. Zakharov lives and works in New York City.