BEHIND THE DESIGN
The story behind Monica Calderón Studio and its founder, Monica Calderón.
Monica Calderón Studio
Founded in 1998, Monica Calderón Studio is a company dedicated to the conception, design and production of decorative and functional accessories and furniture. The distinctive material with which this creative platform works is polyester resin, displaying a series of radical and revolutionary technical possibilities. In the workshop, artisan procedures are applied to this generation of luxury objects; always showing a wide variety of finishes, shapes and colors. The workshop is a project with social orientation, which rescues and applies traditions and skills that are almost extinct.
Monica Calderón
Monica Calderón is a Los Angeles-based Mexican designer and independent curator.
Calderón’s background in design spans over 20 years. In 1997, when she married acclaimed Mexican Architect Ezequiel Farca, Calderón designed and produced a line of handmade resin homewares, inspired by the Pre-Hispanic designs of ancient Mexico, to accompany Farca’s architecture practice. Their creative synergy resulted in the opening of one of the first design showrooms in Mexico City that showcased the span of their applied arts realm.
In 2001, Calderón founded her eponymous design studio. Over the last 20 years, with her team of over 30 artisans, Monica Calderón Studio has been dedicated to the ideation, design and production of accessories and furniture. Clients and collaborators include MoMA NYC, LACMA, Saks Fifth Avenue, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Wynn Hotels and acclaimed Chefs Jose Andres, Enrique Olvera, David Rockwell and Rick Joy.
In 2018 , Calderón partnered with Ursula Verea to co-found CALA, an initiative which explores the design of objects and furniture through functional and sculptural limited editions. CALA has collaborated with internationally known talents such as David Wiseman and Jorge Pardo.
Creating a vital dialogue between Mexico and California is the intention behind Calderón’s multifaceted creative practice. An authority in producing immersive exhibits, popups, events, and experiential projects and programming, Calderón builds bridges between borders by bringing the Latin American creative community of designers, artist, architects, artisans and chefs into the California scene. Since moving to Los Angeles, Calderón has curated a series of exhibits and events including Proyectos LA Latin American Art Fair during /PST:LA and the Dialogo + Dialogue design and architecture exhibit at Blackman Cruz Gallery LA.
As a community leader with deep ties to artisans across Mexico, Calderón’s philanthropic efforts include the role of President of Organization for Huajes Valley Network in Oaxaca, Mexico - A community of artists, chefs, designers, architects, philanthropists, cultural promoters and entrepreneurs who support the pottery communities of Oaxaca and their craft and traditions through the non-profit organization Innovando la Tradicion.