This is the story of a man who is happy making things with his hands.
When I was 16, without any tailoring knowledge I made a pair of pants that I wore to a party, the crotch ripped that night. That was the end of my fashion ambitions, but it did not deter me from the artisanal milieu, and so the story continues.
After several years as a shoe designer/maker, I took the opportunity to research & work in textile-based social enterprises in Vietnam, Nepal, China and India. This reinforced the social and environmental care that has always underpinned my ethos as an artisan – slow, functional luxury, made by hand.
Taking inspiration from my experiences, I developed my own textile practice based in Tasmania. I am currently based back in Melbourne. Turning to the immediate environment as my source of raw materials: dyes made from plants, reclaimed wool, cotton & linen.
Within a general field of contemporary though iconographic simplicity, I leave room for the chance encounter arising in the natural process – the signature of the Unknown Craftsman. Continuity in the traces of stitching forms lines of diversity that thoughts and feelings can travel down, converging with or diverging from the overall direction. It sustains a history and an ongoing narrative. I think of each piece as a new heirloom.
Phong's work has been showcased at QuiltCon in the US and The Wangaratta Art Gallery. In 2019, he was shortlisted for The Footscray Art prize. In 2023, Phong collaborated with The Social Studio on the 'Cross Stitch' program, creating a community quilt. He is part of the travelling group exhibition 'In Conversation' which will show at the Peppin Heritage Centre, Deniliquin shortly and travel to France later this year. His piece 'Creating Character' won Best Object Design at Design Fringe 2023. Phong is the current Artist in Residence at The Australian Tapestry Workshop.
