MADE IN XAVIER concept store, in Uzès

Presentation

Hello Xavier, and thank you for sharing your time with the readers of UzEssentiel.

Your concept store is like an Aladdin’s cave, presenting art from the region around Uzès. MADE IN XAVIER is kind of a gallery of art too, isn’t ?

Well, the idea first came to me and a friend of mine, with who I opened a previous store in Uzès. We wanted to have a place to expose our own creations. This structure being quite hard to finance on our own, we decided to join forces with others French artists.

But, due to the sanitary lockdown, the structure we imagined couldn’t last. When my associate chose to go to work in Alès, I opened MADE IN XAVIER.

How do you select the creations present in MADE IN XAVIER ? Do you meet the artists in their workshops or do they come in Uzès to show you their creations ?

I only choose local arts, which is a personal and a reasonable choice, a the time when the preservation of the environment concerns everyone.

Then I need « to have a crush » for the art and the artist I present. It’s very important for me. Each artist is like a partner. MADE IN XAVIER has to offer a large and eclectic choice too : furniture, sculpture, decoration, ceramics, jewels, perfume… There is no competition in my concept store, every object finds its own place.

I find the artist on my own, sometime thanks to the word of mouth. Artist can come to me too, and present their work. I admit that the social networks help a lot the interaction between us.

You expose your own creation, furniture you make with recycled wood for example. They often serve to present other artist work, standing as shelves, or displays. Since when to you make this furniture ? And do you create anything else ?

In fact, I am part of the 22 creators present in MADE IN XAVIER. I first work with wood pallet 5 or 6 years ago, but before that, I use to paint on wood. Noticing that people started to be interested in my work, I decided to expose it in my store.

I am a self-taugh man you know, and I use tools everyone can use. I learn from my errors and experience. I thought the wood pallet was a good choice of reused material.

Do I do anything else ? Well, yes, I have more than one string to my bow ! I sculpt iron, wood, and have created the Chutdebois family (the scrap wood family) : lights, furniture...

But, I have to say that painting was my first love, using watercolor and then acrylic painting on wood coming from pallet.

I design interiors too, for private and professional clients. And the list is not closed ! As I am a curious person, I like to test other arts. Creation as no limits.

What do you plan to present in the next months ?

All the artists are present for at least 3 months in MADE IN XAVIER, but they can stay longer if they choose too.

Since October, 2 new artists join my « team », a wooden jewel creator and another one, who presents lamps and decoration made of driftwood.

Thanks to Xavier for his collaboration with this paper.

La bonne adresse : MADE IN XAVIER, 5 place d’Austerlitz, 30700 Uzès