design stories exhibition by xavier lust explores his creative philosophy

design stories exhibition by xavier lust explores his creative philosophy
photo by michel damanet

xavier lust: design stories,
botanique, brussels, belgium
on now until november 1, 2015

since 2000, xavier lust has been collaborating with prestigious international brands including cerruti baleri, de padova, driade, extremis, fiam and MDF italia; from which his technical innovations and aesthetic sensibilities of sober and elegant curves — rendered primarily in metal — have emerged. marking fifteen years after he began his career as a designer, a special selection of the belgian creative’s projects are being presented in a solo exhibition that surveys his exploration into technological manufacturing processes. presented at museum botanique in brussels, ‘design stories’ tracks the experimental development of lust bringing forth pieces symbolizing his career, alongside previously unexhibited works.

display of xavier lust’s ‘archiduchaise chair’, ‘gun metal bench’, and ‘XST stool’
image © designboom

what is characteristic about lust’s practice is that he is deeply immersed in experimenting with materials and inventing new techniques for manipulating metal surfaces, which has become somewhat of a signature of his furniture portfolio. in particular is a process that is done without moulding, and produces curved shapes, allowing the employed metal material to express itself in a natural, fluid and extraordinarily light movement. economical in terms of both material and means of production, lust’s technique paradoxically increases resistance tenfold. this method is evident for example in his ‘piknik table’ and ‘gun metal bench’, both of which also express lust’s interest in providing ‘design for all’ in the urban fabric. for a decade he has taken a particular interest in the challenges of traffic and mobility of which street furniture projects for brussels have emerged; and a competition organized by the STIB which he won, will see the installation of 2700 public transport shelters this year.

‘gun metal bench’
image © designboom

in parallel to his work as an interior designer and the creation of pieces sold on the international market, xavier lust has also produced more exclusive editions described as ‘art-design’ objects. these functional collectors’ items are produced on a more confidential basis and in a limited series, where the economy of production is not a factor. ‘design stories’ reflects on both these avenues, recounting xavier lust’s creative philosophy and telling the story of his personal life. micro-molecular biology had been another option before he ultimately decided to study interior design, which could explain why much of his work is connected to nature, with different typologies of pieces linked by the same DNA, but nevertheless always surprising.

detail of the perforated surface of the ‘gun metal bench’
image © designboom

‘I see the creation process as an equation between four parameters: functionality, beauty, culture and technology. the most challenging projects are those conceived for large scale production: good design should be accessible to the largest possible number of people and have but should also, ideally, have the qualities of an art piece.’ – xavier lust

‘gun metal chair’
image © designboom

the ‘design stories’ exhibition is accompanied by a book which provides the narrative of xavier lust’s universe. filled with more than 192 pages of photographs that indicate his passion for beauty and perfection in his designs, it aims at offering a wide sense of lust’s practice in various fields of the industry — from production to final destination, from special commissions and recent monumental sculpture projects, to his trips to africa. it tells the tale of lust who believes that good design should be timeless and last forever; and that dedication to beauty is the answer to eternity and this forever is actually built everyday through constant work, research and curiosity.

‘console continent’
image © designboom