Xavier Clarisse, Durban based artist, and designer, was born in Lyon, France, and spent his young life cultivating a passion for design. He attended 'L’Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts' specializing in sculpture and product design and has worked in France, the UK, and now South Africa. Living in South Africa Xavier is inspired by his local surroundings - both nature and the local aesthetic. The abundant subtropical vegetation, vibrant color, and diversity of his hometown Durban are reflected in many of his designs. As a maker, he finds inspiration in the process of exploring materials and likes to experiment with these in both established ways and those of his own development. Running through Xavier's work is a theme of the theatricality of the object itself, of interactivity, movement, and playfulness. Xavier's current area of design focus is lighting and he has a range of sculptural light designs most notably the Delicious Light and the Blade Light.
