I could not have thought of a better way to train my students’ eye in recognizing good design, and to expose them to design which would elevate their taste than visiting the new exhibition of Xavier Lust at Ralph Pucci International. The Brussels-based designer, known as the master of bent metal has created new pieces of furniture in celebrating his new collaboration with the Pucci’s powerhouse. These pieces, a table, bench, consoles, and a cabinet, embody Lust’s personal language which is minimalist in principle, bridging between the hardness of his material and the flowing, moving, and softness of his forms. Whether bronze, aluminum, steel, or brass, Lust definitely knows his materials, and gives each the treatment it deserves. Creating minimalist design requires skills in achieving the perfect proportions and scale, in accomplishing lines, in letting the material speaks, in realizing impeccable finishing, in triumphing flawless forms. And in the case of Xavier Lust, it is the bending the metal in expected directions, but with unexpected twists that allows his work to become chic, elegant, and sophisticated. Each piece is a result of endless experimentations, of endless and intensive refinishing processes. I want to thank Ralph Pucci and Michael Pucci for making this visit possible, and to Xavier for opening up about his work and his fascinating world.
