XAVIER LUST AT SALONE DEL MOBILE.MILANO 2026 – SALONE RARITAS

Images courtesy of Xavier L

Pi, Smoke Table, Experiments and The Alchemist

At the 2026 edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano, Belgian designer Xavier Lust is among the key voices inaugurating Salone Raritas, a newly introduced section dedicated to collectible design and elevated craftsmanship. Curated by Annalisa Rosso with scenography by Formafantasma, the platform gathers a tightly edited group of international designers whose work probes the intersection of material innovation and artistic expression.
      

Within this context, Lust presents a focused selection of recent and previously unseen works that distill his long-standing exploration of material as an active collaborator. Across the collection, form is not imposed but revealed—emerging through a rigorous engagement with forces such as pressure, curvature, and resistance.

Presented by Coulisse | INK

A central highlight is Pi, a newly unveiled bronze piece that resists singular classification. Oscillating between sculpture, side table, and functional object, its curved silhouette subtly references the mathematical symbol π, embodying both structural clarity and conceptual ambiguity. The dialogue between precision and poetry continues in Experiments, a lighting series crafted from laboratory-grade glass. Here, elements typically associated with scientific exactitude are recontextualized into luminous compositions, with visible wiring integrated as part of the aesthetic language. The result is a refined interplay between technical transparency and sculptural presence.

Equally emblematic is Smoke Table, where mass appears to defy gravity. The piece captures a moment of suspended transformation, its form suggesting both upward motion and structural equilibrium—an enduring theme in Lust’s practice, where weight and lightness coexist in dynamic tension. Shifting toward a more performative dimension, The Alchemist (previously presented at Ralph Pucci Gallery) introduces a scenographic approach to design. Conceived as a bar with concealed compartments and unfolding mechanisms, the piece transforms interaction into narrative, revealing itself through a sequence of orchestrated gestures. This exemplifies Lust’s belief that technical sophistication should deepen the experiential relationship between object and user.

Between design, sculpture, and architecture, Lust’s pieces articulate a disciplined yet expressive language—one that seeks not to add form, but to extract meaning from the inherent logic of materials.