Planet Bee

Phi Do (he/him)

Artist biography

Phi Do, is a Melbourne-based, multidisciplinary designer and illustrator. As a graduate from Monash University with a Bachelor of Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering, he is an expert in blending the world of analytical thinking with art and creativity. 

Alongside his UX/UI work, Phi develops branding design for start-ups and nonprofits, does life-drawing, and creates quirky illustrations. As an active supporter of community festivals, Phi was the artist behind the 2018 Melbourne Queer Film Festival.

Whether digital, physical, spatial or visual, Phi is passionate about crafting beautiful and thought-provoking compositions that bring a sense of joy.

Support The Artists

If you like Phi’s style and want to purchase some of his unique Pint of Science artwork, you can do so via our Merch page. You can also find more of his work on Instagram or by visiting his website.

Artist rationale

Inspired by Ban Ki-moon’s quote, "There can be no Plan B because there is no planet B," my artwork Planet Bee is a playful and ironic response depicting a thriving sustainable world where people live in a vibrant community as ‘bee-people’. 

With approximately one-third of what we eat dependent on the pollination of bees, these little heroes are a vital part of our ecosystem. Sadly, bee populations are declining globally as they face a range of threats including industrial agriculture and climate change. So I wanted to celebrate the continual research efforts in Australia in promoting bee health and further understanding the ecology and behaviour of bees - not only the honey bee but also lesser-known Australian native bees. I chose the mascot to be the native Stingless Social Bee, to highlight the social aspect of Pint of Science. Other native bee-people scattered throughout the science-inspired landscape include the Carpenter Bee, Teddy Bear Bee and Blue-Banded Bee.

But ultimately, I wanted to show how bees can inspire us to be a better society. Social bees live in complex social structures and use their collective intelligence, and work harmoniously together, to ensure the greater good of their hive's survival. This is something I believe humans can learn from bees.

While there may not be a planet B, long live Planet Bee!