Purin Phanichphant

Purin Phanichphant is a San Francisco, California based artist & designer whose work is shown at his studio, as well as in galleries and venues around the United States, Iceland, & Japan. Purin holds a BFA in Industrial Design and Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University, and an MFA in Product Design from Stanford University.

In this world of ever-increasingly complex and fast-paced digital technologies, Purin’s work reminds us to take a pause, play, touch, and take joy in simplicity. His mesmerizing designs and installations depict a world of his brilliant imagination. With his roots in Northern Thailand, where he spent part of his life as a Buddhist monk, combined with his background in designing innovative products in Silicon Valley, Purin’s interactive objects and installations engage audiences while exploring authenticity, expressiveness, and co-creation. His media often incorporates buttons, knobs, and screens, combined with a touch of code, resulting in simple, playful, and interactive experiences for the audience.

Purin is a known educator and collaborator. Prior to becoming an artist, he worked as a principal product designer at IDEO San Francisco. He has taught design courses at Stanford University, General Assembly, and is currently teaching at UC Berkeley. Purin has found becoming a full-time artist to be a fulfilling and exciting new manifestation of his creative vision. His thought-provoking art pieces wonderfully combine a variety of different genres, concepts and techniques. As an artist, he uses objects to create compelling pieces that share stories and inspire action. Creating since 2010, Purin has gained an international following and today exhibits around the world.