MAKER FAIRE DETROIT
SIGGRAPH 2010
BERLIN DESIGN WEEK 2010
DESIGN MIAMI/ART BASEL 2010
Tobias Wong, right, celebrating outside The Wrong Store in 2007
The design world lost a dear friend early Sunday morning with the passing of D. Tobias Wong, whose wit and daring will be terribly missed, and whose design provocations provided a consistent touchpoint throughout much of the last decade.
I remember meeting Tobi more than a decade ago on the corner of Prince and Mercer in SoHo, an eager graduate from Cooper Union set up behind a stool adorned with a corrugated box on top, filled with his now famous vials of silver leaf capsules amidst assorted other design gestures. We chatted for just a few minutes that afternoon, and I remember walking away with a particular delight, sure that we would be seeing a lot more of Tobi's work in the years to come.
Favorites were his Andy Warhol print wrapping caper at TROY for the holidays, where customers could have their purchase wrapped in an actual Andy Warhol screenprint for an additional $5000 ("...we got very close with one customer," Tobi recounted when it was all done); The Wrong Store, when he never broke character when asked what the hours of the store were —I was behind on my coverage and needed to be sure the place would be open when I arrived (it never opened, of course); the Killer Diamond Ring; and his storied stunt at Core77's Offsite event, Design Wit and the Creative Act, moderated by Ze Frank. Here, Tobi elected to have a stand-in for himself on the panel and for the Q&A session—the skillful Rama Chorpash—with whom Tobi rehearsed tirelessly to prepare both the presentation (as Tobi would have given it), as well as the panel discussion talking points. Tobi sat in the audience, inconspicuous, taking it all in with a smile on his face. Even some of the panelists didn't get the decoy (Tobi's face hasn't been design-star plastered in the media), and one attendee drove down from Toronto to meet his idol (we arranged a secret—and genuine—get-together during the cocktail hour).
Well, there are too many great pieces of work to mention, but we also like this remark from a short interview with Core77 back in 2002: "Leaving room for meaning is a cheap cop-out—the best designers/artists have always been focused on what and how they want to be read. Leaving room for meaning is for those not so confident with their ideas." Nice.
Aric Chen has written a moving release, with a beautiful summation of Tobi's career:
Through his work, Wong helped bring forth much of what is now taken for granted in contemporary culture. Influenced by Dada and, especially, Fluxus, he questioned authorship through appropriation; held a mirror to our desires and absurdities; upended the hierarchy between design and art, and the precious and the banal; and helped redefine collaboration and curation as creative practices. Working within what he termed a "paraconceptual" framework, Wong prompted a reevaluation of everything we thought we knew about design: its production, its psychological resonance, its aesthetic criteria, its means of distribution, its attachment to provenance, its contextualization and its manner of presentation. Wong was a keen observer, an original mind, a brilliant prankster, and an unerring friend.
Tobi Wong's work was widely exhibited, including at MoMA, Cooper-Hewitt, Colette, Prada, and more, and he was named Young Designer of the Year by Wallpaper* magazine (2004) as well as the Brooklyn Museum of Art (2006).
Core77 would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Tobi's family and to Tim Dubitsky. Tobias Wong was a bright spot for us all, and his work will continue to inspire countless designers, artists, students and friends. He left us too soon, at 35 years of age.
SIGGRAPH 2010
1HDC: Play-Doh Kicks
Maker Faire Detroit
Open for Branding
Comments
totally shocked to read this. condolences and prayers to aric and friends and family. so sorry
what happened?/??
I'm in shock. I interviewed Tobias for a story long, long ago for ReadyMade magazine. I was so inspired by his creativity back then and it only expanded over the years. We've lost a unique, witty, and creative mind. The objects around us are sure to be much duller with this loss.
Very sad indeed...I am hoping that this is some awful joke and that we will all find out that Tobi changed names and moved to Europe, leaving his design career behind.
What a loss.
:(
I didn't know Tobias, but it's terrible to hear things like that.
Im sorry.
I met my hero that day. I remember being giddy when I found out about the Wrong Store opening. Tobi's work made me fall in love with what design could be, and for that, I will always be grateful.
I met my design hero at the Design Wit event. I thought I'd be really clever and get Rama to inscribe something in my notebook. Tobais was kind enough to play along and sign the inscription. I am in awe of his mind and accomplishments and can't really believe this is happening.
the loss.
Sad. Sad. Sad. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.
I will deeply cherish my collection of Tobi's objects and the times spent working with him and Citizen:Citizen.
woah! so young. my condolences to his family/friends. how did this happen??
fuck. I am blown away. This should not be happening.
Sad news indeed. Tobias' great work recently presented itself to me again at last months Sounds Like exhibit in New York around ICFF time. http://soundslike.org/ Just looking and thinking of his work made me feel good. I wish I could get one of his pieces but most of them are temporarily unavailable. http://www.citizen-citizen.com/
RIP and condolences to all his family and friends.
I'm truly sadden by this news, I've only known him for a short period of time but he has put a lasting impression on me. He will be missed.
oh too bad
It was an incredible honor to have known and worked with Tobias. I'm sad that we won't be able to collaborate again in the future.
Tobias was warm, talented, and smart. During a recent visit to Cranbrook, he was extremely generous with helping the students. He was an inspiration, and will continue to be.
This is terrible news. It was a pleasure to know Tobias if just a little. He inspired and encouraged me. My deepest condolences to his friends and family.
...He is STILL alive. This has got to be another one of his design projects.
My prediction is that he's going to rise from the dead and come back to us with"products from beyond the grave".
.... even if the sad news was true, we should still pretend he's alive because then he'd have Elvis Status and I bet he'd like that.
I am going to miss you sweet prince. Glad we got to work together a bunch of times and glad we got to spend some fun times away from work too.
Tobias was a great inspiration to my graduate work as well as my desire to to be an educator...his work is has been a big part of my lectures over the last few years and a reminder to everyone to be playful, insightful, well informed and a maintain healthy dose of F - U!
I bought my partner a Ballistic Rose to protect her...I wish we could all could have helped protect you.
You were an true inspiration Tobias. You will be missed.
i am so saddend by this news. I met Toby when I was creative director of Troy, well over 10 years ago now.....I was able to meet many emerging talents but Toby was a true stand out. Tobys wit, style and self effacing personality will be greatly missed. His remarkable designs will be his legacy.
Very sad news.
My condolences to the family.
Genius. This will be his best stunt yet.
I'm beside myself. In complete shock. I just routinely checked the Design Observer Twitter page as I often do, and I saw this. I hadn't talked to Tobias in about three years, and we had fallen out of touch in that time, but I was planning to calling his cell in the next week, because I was planning a visit to NYC. I can't believe it. What the hell happened? I'd appreciate it if someone would contact me to fill me in. I unfortunately didn't know his partner. He was one of a kind. I just found this pic of us. This is how I will always remember him: funny, precocious, and alive.
http://twitpic.com/1t52il
Tobias was a really sweet person. He did a show with us a few years ago & I will always remember him as a very kind & genuine person, very unassuming & really one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. I remember him walking in for his exhibition in cut off jeans & a white t-shirt and spending 20-30 minutes in the gallery before I even realized who he was...definitely a unique & gifted artist/designer. Its very sad that he is no longer with us & we'll all miss him.
i was shocked
Totally shocked. I never thought much about his attempts go get into traditional industrial design, but there was no doubting the fact that his work was provocative and fresh.
This should not be happening to the design world which is already short of action heroes.
Condolences to his family and friends
so sad to know this :(
tobi, you have been a guiding light to us gothamites exploring what it means to be mindful and passionate in the world of design. Having shared an exchange of cigarettes and ideas with you over the years you have always been a source of inspiration to me in terms of the meaning and intense focus you brought to the projects you cared about. Your humor which permeated your work was the intoxicating distillate of the uncompromising nature of your intellect and the restlessness of your heart. We will miss you dearly.
Sorrry to hear that we lost a great desinger ,it is bad to lose great people , Condolences to his family and friends i
Tobi, you are the most confident and original thinker I have yet to meet. I just can't believe I won't see you again. Thank you for the gifts you have left us all. I will miss you, friend.
Tobi, I will never forget you. I feel like we had so much more to talk about. I am extremely upset that you are gone; You were just getting started!
Very sad news indeed. The design world has lost a shining star...
Tobi arrived and promptly kicked the design world square in the nuts. We are all better for it, long may you run my brother.
I knew Tobi. The friends of his I know are incredibly shocked. I will miss his hilarious sense of humor. I was personally the sometime victim of his rapier tongue, and I laughed heartily through all of it. His wit went beyond just his art. In life he was an edgy, funny, bitchy, original and not always easy person - but I doubt there will ever be another like him.
Tobi was so vibrant, so electric and touched people in so many positive ways. I just can't wrap my head around this deeply sad news. The comments left here all all so touching ... I'll miss you Tobi.
Long Duck Dong...you made being a ching chong and a half ok when I was seventeen...and then you made the world art!
On behalf of Tobi's mother and family, I dearly thank all of you for your love for Tobi and his works. This is not one of his witty projects, he has left this world (and us) forever.
May the Eternal Light shines upon him...
your generosity and support of ideas beyond common, inspires. I am honoured to have shared with you, however briefly. You are amazing at any distance.