Vong Phaophanit was born in 1961 in Laos (now People's Democratic Republic of Lao). He was educated in France and studied painting at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Aix-en-Provence.  In 1996 he took up a DAAD scholarship in Berlin and in 2001 he was Senior Resident at The Centre for Drawing, Wimbledon School of Art, London. He was shortlisted for the Turner Prize at the Tate Gallery in 1993.  His one person exhibitions include, Stephen Friedman Gallery, London (1999 & 1996) Atopia, Royal Festival Hall, London and DAAD, Berlin (1997 & 8), Phaophanit and Piper, Touring Exhibition: Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham; Site Gallery, Sheffield; Cambridge Darkroom, Cambridge; and The Minories, Colchester  (1995), Neon Rice Field, Tate Gallery, London (1993), Ash and Silk Wall, Greenwich Thames Barrier Park Project, London (1993), tok tem dean kep kin bo dai (what falls to the ground but can’t be eaten), IKON Gallery, Birmingham and Chisenhale Gallery, London (1991 & 1992).  Group shows include Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Asia Society, New York; Galerie für zeitgenssische Kunst, Leipsig; Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane; Konsthallen Gotenburg; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; Johannesburg Biennale; British Council, Sydney; De Appel, Amsterdam; The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; Reina Sofia, Madrid; Venice Biennale and Serpentine Gallery, London. He has received sculpture commissions from Greenwich Council and Scottish National Park as well as collaborative commissions with Claire Oboussier for Outhouse, Liverpool, Pipedream, City and Islington College, London and Lifelines, Southend City Council. He has been a Purchaser for the Arts Council Collection, on the Advisory Panel for ACE and the London Arts Board as well as a Trustee for Spike Island, Bristol.  He is currently working on a commission for The Quite in the Land, Luang Prabang, PDR Lao, curated by Frances Morin.