JOEL ESCALONA
Joel’s work is characterized by thorough and elegant processes, sometimes creative, other times productive and on occasion, a bit introspective. In his work, it is possible to find glimpses of his charismatic and ironic personality, resorting to elements such as lyric, humor and poetry as attributes that are in constant connection throughout his body of work.
Joel Escalona holds a degree in industrial design from the UAM-A and a master’s degree in Contemporary Art, Markets and Business at the Universidad Centro and Sotheby’s. After having set up his JOEL ESCALONA STUDIO design firm in 2014, and completing different projects in industrial design, Joel decided to venture into the creation of collectible design pieces, such as the Balance series presented in 2018, which explores the creative balance of a wide variety of materials while questioning his own creative capacity.
HIS WORK
Joel finds inspiration in the present. His work is a clear reflection of the events and culture surrounding him: his industrial design projects present a clear solution to current relevant problems, his furniture is designed with contemporary spaces and people in mind, and his personal editions project is an intimate reflection of how his mind works.
“Joel Escalona’s creativity has taken him beyond the limits of industrial design and the demands of each project - many of them with international firms - has led him to form a new design philosophy: suitable balance between his creative self and his business facet.”
SELECTED PIECES BY JOEL ESCALONA
NOVIEMBRE: V – Quinta Stool
NOVIEMBRE: XIV – Décima Cuarta Mobile
Laws of Motion Rood Divider
JOEL RECOMMENDS
I think learning about different topics, not just design, makes my work more interesting, and books are a great way to do that. Here are 3 of my latest reads which I really enjoyed, alongside a playlist I curated to set the mood for designing.
BOOKS
The Business of Aspiration, Ana Andjelic. A must read for anyone involved in brand strategy to understand how consumer’s behavior is affected by status symbols that are constantly changing.
Zero to One, Peter Thiel. If I had to briefly resume this books I would say it is about how progress can be achieved in any industry or area if you learn to think for yourself.
The Lessons of History, Will & Ariel Durant. An entertaining journey through history, and how humanity has evolved and overcome problems throughout time.