From Spiderman to Frank Ocean: Tristan Taing’s Rugs are Pure Pop Joy
Photo: Zane Qureshi
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m 22, and I’m studying accounting at Unisa. I love anime; it’s a big interest of mine. I grew up watching it, it’s like my childhood. Big family person. I value family and friends a lot. My name is Tristan Taing.
How did you first get into art and design?
So, I’ve always been a creative person, but I never really pursued it because, throughout high school and university, I was focused on science and mathematical subjects. I was studying pharmacy before now, accounting. When COVID hit back in 2020, I dropped out of my pharmacy course and decided to pursue a creative outlet. That came in the form of drawing on my computer & iPad and making rugs. That’s how I got into the arts.
Being in lockdown made me want to turn my hobbies into something productive.
Tell us a little bit about Uchikae Studios:
It’s a brand of mine founded during the COVID pandemic. I have always wanted my own company/business, so I think that’s why I started it. Uchikae was the name of my gamer tag growing up. If you watch Naruto, you can see how similar it is to Uchia. I combined the two last names of Saske & Kakashi, and that’s the inspiration for Uchikae.
With Uchikae Studios, I specialise in commission rugs. I initially started making handmade stickers of my illustrations; however, I later decided to delve into making rugs. TikTok inspired me to make the rugs.
Would you say your youth and childhood have influenced the work you create today?
Of course. Of course. My art is 100% my youth and culture growing up. Hip-hop, anime, and cartoons all influence my work. If you see the rugs I have right now, I’ve got Pokémon, the Wu-Tang logo, Frank Ocean, Jordan 1s, Spider-Man, etc.
Tell us a bit about your upbringing & culture?
So I am Vietnamese-Chinese. My parents were both born overseas, but I was raised here. It’s pretty interesting because usually most Asian kids grow up with a language, but I only speak English because my mum speaks Viet & my dad Chinese, but they don’t speak to each other in their native language, so I only grew up with English. I have three siblings. I have Sebastian, Symphony & Princeton. Symphony just graduated & my brother Sebastian is in uni, but my youngest brother is still in high school.
I’m a very family-driven guy. I have a lot of cousins and we all hang out. I was the eldest in the family, so I would be the one who looked after my other siblings. My cousins and I all play social volleyball - we have a team called Yip Yip, it’s based on Avatar. Haha
Going off family. In a lot of Asian & Ethnic communities, pursuing creative careers is often discouraged. How has your family found you making rugs?
I can 100% say that my family is on board with what I do. They support me the most - my mum and dad. I was working before at BanBan (the fried chicken place), and I’ve chosen to focus on my brand and the rugs until University goes back. They are here to support me, and in return, I owe them hard work and dedication. It’s not like they think this is a waste of time or it’s not gonna take me anywhere, they believe in me. It makes me happy, and they see that.
Who or what inspires you?
Off the top of my head. Two people in particular. My dad & my cousin Jaden. My dad grew up without a degree so he had to work hard everyday to support us & provide for our family. He inspires me to work hard and do the same for my family. He works for my grandpa selling discount hardware store and he’s had his own business doing other stuff too.
With my cousin Jaden - similar story. He’s a year older than I, but he’s done so much for me. He works as a chef in Melbourne now, and I feel like his devotion inspires me.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years?
I was thinking about how nice would it be to have my own studio where I could make rugs and maybe start my own clothing collection. I would want to make it a welcoming creative space for likeminded individuals to come in. It’s sort of like what Aidan from Curated is doing with his new store.
In terms of my life - I hopefully will have graduated from uni & have my accounting degree. Hopefully have a full time career.
Look forward to more rugs & more sticker designs. Lots more content.
