Tobi Wong

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Born in Vancouver in 1974, Tobi Wong moved to New York to study art and become an artist and a designer. His conceptual art pieces borrow forms and ideas from contemporary industrial design and luxury objects. The presentation of his work in the context of design stores and industry magazines challenges his audience and criticizes the consumer products of his generation.

Wong studied art at Cooper Union School of Art where he graduated in sculpture. While in school he became known for his personal style and his clear message, not to mention the infamous neon sign in his East Village apartment window. Typical for his early work are installations with a large number of the same industrial product which he would stack or assemble to create architectural shapes. Other presentations are more conceptual and question the meaning of how we consume or what we consume today. In collaboration with the designer Philipp Mohr he created the "hidden diamond ring" which features a diamond on the inside of a wedding band. Together with Ken Courtney of Ju$t Another Rich Kid he launched a collection of luxury products cast in gold. One of his most acclaimed designs is his "ballistic rose", a rose pin made of black bullet proof material. It has been included in the design collection at MoMA.