There are two things that I´m really passionate about, one is design and the other is the culture of my country, Mexico, which I consider to be one of the richest in the world. An extremely important part of this culture are the indigenous groups, their traditions, their crafts and especially their people. The Mayan culture stands out for being one of the most deeply rooted today, and that is why I am happy to share that one of the most talented creatives in our country, Joel Escalona, will be able to make use of all his knowledge and experience to create and promote together with the artisans the beautiful pieces that come alive from the Mayan community through the project called Taller Maya.
Taller Maya is a Mexican collective brand, made up by artisan social companies established in the Yucatan Peninsula, and a multidisciplinary creative team that works for the promotion and development of the Mayan culture. As a platform for social and economic development, Taller Maya works with these social companies to strengthen the current value chains and to generate sustainable sources of income for the rural Mayan communities of the Yucatan Peninsula, all of these through the creation and fair commercialization of artisanal pieces with historical and cultural value such as home accessories, bags, jewelry and many more. With the aim of enhancing this project and adding all his creativity and knowledge, Joel Escalona assumes the role as Creative Director of the brand which forms part of Fundación Haciendas del Mundo Maya, a non-profit organization which works with artisan groups of the Yucatan Peninsula in social and economic development projects. As part of the tasks Joel will work with Taller Maya’s creative team and twenty-eight artisan social companies in the Yucatan Peninsula to develop new products, while also creating a communication and commercial strategy. All of this will not only strengthen the income source for these communities, but will also help to exalt and preserve the cultural and historical value of the Mayan culture guarded by all of them.
Taller Maya’s latest collection was designed for Ensamble Artesano initiative and presented at the 2020 edition of Design House in Mexico City. For its realization they worked for three months with various social artisan companies established in the Yucatan Peninsula in the design and manufacture of pieces that guarantee the social and economic well-being of these communities during the current health contingency caused by Covid-19.
As seen on images, the collection is made up of various collectible pieces that use techniques and materials proper of the Yucatan Peninsula; tapestry pieces, decorative panels, natural fiber containers, bags and hammocks are now contemporary pieces that shine for their beauty and originality wherever they are placed
Photos by Mariana Achach