Meet James Kung | Photographer & writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Kung and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
To know how My palace in Dallas came to be as a project we would have to take a trip down memory lane and go back to the distant, quiet land that is the pandemic times.

I’ve always loved interior photography and heavy text-based long-form content. From all the magazines and the interview books/articles I’ve collected to all the bookmarks saved featuring various digital articles with similar topics.

With that in mind, when the pandemic hit, I realized that we were all in the same spot, your home. Some may be forced to face the fact that their apartment looks ugly while some are sitting comfortably in the fruit of their curation efforts, and I was intrigued by what that would look like. My project started out interviewing my good friends with great tastes and slowly expanded to what it is now — interviewing inspiring and noteworthy individuals in their amazing homes.

I often like to think home is an extension of who you are as a creative, your personality and craving for beauty in the world should reflect that onto the four walls we reside in, no matter the size, ownership, style, or scale. I want to tell their story and how it came to be, what your relation with your space during the longest stay-at-home period of our lives, using interior photography as a vehicle and letting the world know who you are outside of your existing labels.

Now that I am three years into working on this project, the idea remains, but I’ve grown into wanting this series to be a love letter to this city I now call home, a thank you and love you to the people and all that this city, and this community allows us to be.

This project is ambitious, legacy centric and I hope people can see what I’ve done and think “Wow, this guy who is still holding on to his day job for dear life also made a fun project, why can’t I? ” I want this project to be something encouraging, or motivating whether it’s out of admiration or spite, for people to start their own thing.

A city where everyone feels entitled to be creative and self-starting, is a great city for art across all mediums.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’d like to think being a transplant not only to the city but the country, I have a much clearer view of what things are.

This might sound arrogant, but let me explain, walk with me here.

Coming to the States was a fresh start, a blank page for me. With a thirst for everything interesting happening around the city, you see the surface level and you see the other side of Dallas that sometimes takes just a little more digging for the city to reveal her true self to you. Dallas can often be seen as a glamorous city with nothing but fancy-decorated restaurants and non-stop patio drinking, but I believe we are more than that. We ARE more than that and my project, however little engagement or viewers, could serve as an entryway into the world that I’ve known and loved all these years.

It definitely wasn’t easy. I’m a naturally shy person and interacting with so many people can be overwhelming, but for those who are nervous, on the outside looking in, if you show up to it often enough you WILL eventually become part of the scene.

I started the project with pure curiosity and a longing to build genuine connections. I am proud to say I’ve done exactly that and thoroughly enjoyed every piece I’ve done with people who were generous enough to open up their doors to me. Hopefully, my story could serve as an encouragement for people who weren’t sure where they stand in the community, I’m not extra special, nor am I well connected. I was just brave, brave enough to still do all these things after work, to talk to people , to send out that email. I believe you can too.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Outpost fine goods – from food to jewelry, to thrifted clothes and home goods, you can find it all and intentionally source!

The loop in Dallas, if you’re planning on having a little run along the trails, make sure you check out the mural on the underpass, made by muralists who live among the loop, artists who made this city a better place.

Ookuma Burgers – an amazing Japanese burger place in the spot where Sandwich Hag once was

Cafe Momento/Point of View – a well-curated coffee shop and art book/magazine store in Fort Worth

Black cat comics and records – lovely vinyl and cassette tape collection on top of the most impressive and extensive comic archive for all to browse, buy, and enjoy.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Say it with your chest TX – an organization that helps with resources for the unhoused community in Dallas
Haley Cook- queer artist as part of 500x gallery, 45 years old running gallery made up of artists with huge queer presence giving young queer artists a platform to showcase their work
Outpost Fine Goods – apothecary located in Oakcliff with highly intentional curated goods with sustainability and uniqueness in mind, amplifying local business, and women’s voices and doing it flawlessly.

Website: https://www.jameskungphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_kung/

Image Credits
Personal photo by Lucy (@ganlu_)
https://www.instagram.com/ganlu_/