Although Cyril Kongo is a graffiti artist, his creative expressions are not limited to walls, which were his first medium. His artistic creations also appear on a range of products such as watch dials, scarves, furniture, cigars and even airplanes due to collaborations with high-end brands including Hermès, Chanel, Richard Mille, Daum and La Cornue. Born to a Vietnamese father and a French mother, Cyril Phan spent his early childhood in Vietnam until the fall of Saigon in 1975.
He also lived for several years in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo. His name, Kongo, was inspired by the country. He explained to Life through an email interview why Congo is a special place for him.
"Congo is synonymous to freedom for me. I went there to join my mother who used to work there. As a Vietnamese political refugee, I used to live in France in a small city where people did not know anything about Asians.
When I arrived in Brazzaville, it had the same tropical vibes to Saigon with the same fruits and odours," Kongo said. In his teenage years, Kongo often got into fights and eventually dropped out of high school. Fortunately, his passion for art pulled him back onto the right track.
In 1986, using his favourite medium of spray paint, he began creating mural art which launched his career and led him to become the renowned artist he is today. "Graffiti is a lifestyle and the art of taking over. I always felt interconnected with my environment.
That is why I love graffiti.