Duffy-Marie Arnoult, Getty Images
Tobias Wong, the designer who coined the term and personified the movement "postinteresting", died in his Manhattan home on Sunday, May 30th. The 35-year-old's death was ruled a suicide, and he is survived by his mother, stepfather, brother and partner Tim Dubitsky.
A talented artist that found success in both the avant garde and commercial worlds, Wong brought his cheekily thoughtful parodies of the work of designers like Philippe Starck, Issey Miyake and Karim Rashid, offering a different -- often controversial, often brilliant -- perspective on what we traditionally consider design. By illuminating Stark's Bubble Chair, he not only turned the seat into a lamp, he opened up the possibilities of looking at conventional furniture in a decidedly unconventional way. "When I do pull a prank, it's my means of sending out a conceptual idea, it's not just laughing at them," Wong had said.
He also brought his lens to corporations like McDonalds and Burberry -- elevating the fast food giant's coffee stirrer by gold-plating it, and bringing the British brand's signature plaid down to earth by slapping it on buttons that he passed around. Wong even challenged the modern idea of shopping, co-organizing the "Wrong Store", a Chelsea gallery turned into a space that was anti-shopping in every way, from the "Come in, We're Closed" sign on the door to the fact that nothing was sold.
Of course his ideas could not be ignored by the art world biggies -- his work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, the Cooper-Hewitt, the Brooklyn Museum of Art and Paris' Colette shop. And after inspiring an entire generation of designers, writers, thinkers and artists, his death has left the blog world saddened, shocked and just as Wong would have hoped, with a renewed vow to challenge ideas, reevaluate values and always look for new ways of looking at the world.
Some of our favorite bloggers remember Wong
Design Milk
If it's Hip it's Here
MoCo Loco
Core77
Apartment Therapy
and the official New York Times obituary.
Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
unstable... nuff said
ReplyThis just goes to illustrate how devestating a disease depression can be. What a waste of a talented young man. I am sorry he was in such pain that he did the most final thing.
Replydid he really just say that...??? "with what the gays are doing"...??? is there some distinction in the art world? Have you ever heard of Keith Haring? Andy Warhol? yeah, they're dead too... I don't know why i even bother validating what he just said, with my own comment, but that is the most ignorant thing I've heard in the last 15 minutes-
Reply....and don't forget about robert rauchenberg.......
or Mapplethorpe...etc
Another GREAT lost for no good reason. His art was awesome to behold. When will this world get back together?
ReplyARTISTS HAVE A WAY OF LOSING THERE MIND IT GOES WITH THE BUSINESS AS
ReplyWELL AS ACTORS, PAINTERS AND SO ON I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND IT.
I agree: what a waste of an original/creative life: too bad he hadnt found someone by 35yo that he could emotionally connect with: i so wish i had him as a patient, to have been able to help him out of whatever evil depression led him to DEATH over LIFE....so sad....
ReplyYou'd better watch what you say. we were very much in love.
youo are a jerk. Weak losers do not kill themselves, people who have too much pain and no way to deal with it kill themselves. You were one of the lucky one's that found help. All of us cannot! Yep, I am suicidal in spite of medication, owning my own business, owning several pieces of property and having a great family. It if oftem bio-chemical, not just unhappy. You seem to be the weak loser.
ReplyDepression is a medical disorder,not a personality defect. it cannot be willed away any more than cancer or cellulite. buy a book, read it and learn something. til then may i suggest you keep your ill concieved and inane opinions to yourself.
ReplyWish he had been able to get help and/or medication. Has anyone ever noticed it is the artistic types that are suicidal. I bet Attilla, the Hun wasn't.
Replyhas anyone else noticed that creative people are depressed and often suicidal. Bet Atilla the Hun was not suicidal but Van Gough was.
ReplyOk now so many of you who posted here have crossed a line of judgement-no one knows the personal turmoil and lack of release this man possessed so stop with the Judging-to now! ( That is country talk for " immediately " , lest you are ill informed! )
ReplyNow to aj who states he is suicidal-you need to speak out on what you are so upset about and if you feel discounted by the ones you trust then you e-me JTJrFan8@aol.com becuase I will NOT let one more wonderful, talented life go by in this way without at least having attempted to bring resolution.
I wish someone would have taken a little more time and told this person how wonderful he is and how even when things go horribly wrong, while they may never be the same and will forever be different-they will always be ok.
RIP Tobias Wong-God Keep your loved ones close in this time of pain.
What a sad tragedy of a brilliant creative person and mind. Let me assure you depression is not a state of mind that one can just get over. When you make a statement like that you are only showing that you do not read very much or learn much at all which equals ignorance. Depression is caused by misfiring of the neurotransmitters in the brain and must be treated with medication. How terribly cruel of anyone to state such nonsense! Get a clue!
Replyyou weren't clinically depressed at all you were just sad for a while
Reply