PROCESS | PROJECTS | EXHIBITIONS | LECTURES | PRESS
EMERGENTE — ZONA MACO DISEÑO 2024
EMERGENTE, presented by ZONA MACO DESIGN, celebrated its fourth edition from February 7 to 11 at the Centro Citibanamex in Mexico City. This prominent platform sought to promote the talent of young designers, offering a showcase for original projects that are distinguished by their high conceptual and discursive quality.
Laws of Motion: Redefining Everyday Objects
The collection titled Laws of Motion created by Joel Escalona is a series of diverse typologies like room dividers, tables, and seats.
Unseen Force: The Art of Organic Sculpture
This isn't just about crafting a sculpture; it's about capturing a slice of the natural world, fused with the inspiration of the creativity of masters like Isamu Noguchi, and Jean Arp.
Booleanos: Balance in Contrast
Step into the world of the Booleanos Collection by Joel Escalona—a symphony of construction and deconstruction, visually represented in contrasting wood finishes. Offering a unique optical illusion, this collection challenges conventional balance and symmetry. From stylish credenzas to versatile coffee tables, Booleanos infuses any space, be it a snug corner or a dynamic workspace, with a distinctive charm.
SBFA Gallery Presents: Joel Escalona's Still Stand at Art Miami
Explore Joel Escalona's 'Still Stand' sculptures at Art Miami, presented by SBFA Gallery. Captured by Mariana Achach, these pieces unite the simplicity of wood with contemporary art, embodying tranquility and nature's strength in a prestigious art fair setting.
Podio: Architectural Elegance
Introducing Podio, not just any coffee table but your life's silent stage. Dive into a design journey where cylinders become pillars of beauty and functionality, echoing architectural precision. Beyond being a table, Podio is an unsung hero of your space: a bench, a gathering point, and a conversation catalyst. It's more than furniture—it's a narrative.
Moments of serenity you can physically touch.
Introducing Still Stand Sculptures: moments of serene artistry carved in wood. Delve deep into contours and curves that invite a touch, emanating tranquility. More than aesthetics, wood offers raw beauty and grace. Customized for your space, these pieces don't just occupy, they enrich, turning homes into personal sanctuaries of calm amidst life's chaos.
Introducing Socle Collection
Discover Socle: not just a table, but an art statement. Drawing inspiration from Donatello's Renaissance sculptures to Brancusi's 20th-century masterpieces, Socle redefines furniture. Crafted from expressive solid wood, it transforms ordinary spaces into art galleries. Dive into a world where furniture is not just functional, but also a reflection of historical art evolution.
Let's talk about sketches.
Designing is not just about flawless outcomes; it's about the beautiful process of failing, learning, and growing. Dive deep into the world of sketches—those unrefined, raw bursts of inspiration that fuel creativity. These seemingly simple drawings are rich with possibilities, inviting interpretations and nurturing evolving ideas. Much like this text, every sketch tells a story of exploration, a narrative of design in its purest form, always seeking, never settling.
Imagine if furniture could meditate; that's Sereno.
Discover the Sereno Collection by NONO: furniture that embodies aesthetic mindfulness. Designed not as mere objects but architectural elements, each piece invites tranquility into your space. Experience design that's both visually stunning and inherently practical.
Solace in Asymmetry
In designing the Solace series, I wanted to create something that not only appealed to the eye but bring comfort by its presence. The deviation from traditional shapes wasn't a mere aesthetic choice; it was an intentional journey toward something more profound. It's about recognizing that comfort, peace, and solace can be found in unexpected places, in lines that defy the ordinary, in forms that challenge the conventional.
Don't just show up to class
Let me tell you a secret in the creative world: there's no magic formula for "success", but there are many valuable lessons you need to know. Here I share with you some equations (without numbers) that I would have loved to know when I was studying design:
Collectible Objects — Architectural Digest
In an editorial piece by Rebeca Vaisman, Joel Escalona is added among other talented Latin American creators. It explains that Joel Escalona's work values traditional craftsmanship with a practical approach: carpentry, ironwork, and manual labor are the pillars of his work, seeking beauty and delight as solutions for daily needs.
Introducing: The 'Fishes' Collection
The 'Fishes' coffee table series by NONO Brand, under the creative helm of Joel Escalona, breathes new life into the living space. Born out of profound admiration for the Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi's 1930s Fish sculpture, this sculptural series of tables is more than just functional furniture. They are a tranquil tribute to a trailblazer in modern art, blending masterful artistry with the practicality of design.
From Art to Design
Design, spanning from practical industrial design to emotive art, is a complex constellation rather than a linear spectrum. While industrial design delivers mass-produced items, art stirs emotion through aesthetics. Bridging these extremes are three pivotal pillars: radical design challenging conventions, studio craft emphasizing individual creativity, and practice-based research propelling intellectual rigor.
Three types of objects
There are three types of objects: functional and rational aligned with the Bauhaus school, romantic and metaphorical like Starck's (in)practical juicer, and those we treasure because they inexplicably make us remember. Those that solve, those that opine, and those that represent. Those that have characteristics, those that have concepts, and those that we permeate with our memories.
Cooperativa Panorámica 10 Years
Ten years have passed since we launched Cooperativa Panorámica at the ICFF in New York, presenting the design collection "Materiality". It was a memorable experience for Cooperativa Panorámica, a group of Mexican designers who strive to explore new creative territories and interpret diverse perspectives and ideas through their work.
Two types of furniture
"The imitation of antique furniture symbolizes aspiration and the imitation of modern furniture symbolizes status. Generally, the first is in the home and the second in the office, sometimes one or the other in both, and rarely the reverse".