Justin Bailey

BIO

Justin Bailey is a designer/maker in Bloomington, Indiana, where he is an Associate Professor of foundations at Indiana University's Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design. Justin received an MFA in 3D Design from the University of Iowa and a BFA in Sculpture from Webster University.

ARtist Statement

Justin Bailey's creative practice involves designing and fabricating objects as a poetic engagement with material and structure, combining functionality with fluidity. He explores techniques ranging from parametric design for digital fabrication to traditional wood and metalworking, researching fabrication, craft, and materials.

Bailey's work reinterprets archetypal objects of daily life, such as chairs, lamps, and tables, using their familiar forms to communicate experimental curiosities in form, material, and making. Inspired by philosopher Bruno Latour's idea that "to design is to redesign," he views each object as a gesture that reflects values, behaviors, and cultural contexts. These objects serve as monuments within built spaces, subtly breaking from the homogeneity of many environments.
Bailey questions traditional structures and aims to introduce dynamic elements into static spaces. His work focuses on form, structure, and aesthetics, using asymmetry and balance to create cohesive designs. He explores how gesture and surface evolve, considering the plasticity of materials and how these elements come together in his object families.

Exhibitions