François Salem

François Salem was born in Paris and raised in Switzerland. He returned to Paris as a teenager to study fashion design at prestigious private training institute Studio Berçot before spending seven years traveling in Asia, where he created his own collection inspired by the work of local artisans. After a final year abroad in New York, he arrived back in Paris, initially working as a costume and set designer for theater and opera prior to becoming a stylist for films and photo shoots. He discovered his passion for ceramics during a long summer in Anjou in the Loire Valley, and began by making vases and bowls. Salem quickly gained notoriety for his bold and refined pieces, which now range from large decorative amphorae and dynamic consoles, to sculptural lighting, tables and mirrors. Many of his hand-crafted works are inspired by life from the depths of the ocean, materialized by opalescent glazes which give a poetic lightness to utilitarian objects. Geometric grids and dimensional shapes suffuse his one of a kind objects, striking a balance between tactility and visual interest. Salem’s sensitive eye for proportion, distinctive glazing technique and muted color palette commingle effortlessly in the pearly textures and surfaces of his unmistakable ceramics. Salem’s work has been profiled in numerous publications including Sight Unseen, Luxury, Interiors and Maison Creative in France, where he currently lives and works.