Meet DADA KIM | Artist & Thinker

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

Hi DADA, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I work with a simple rule: give the goal everything I’ve got. I’ll try new tools, talk to mentors, flip the idea upside down: whatever it takes until I’m sure there’s no stone left unturned. That honest, all-in effort matters more to me than the result.
If the piece still feels alive after all that, I keep pushing.
If it stays flat, I set it aside without guilt. It’s not “giving up”; it just means the timing or the idea wasn’t right, and my energy is better spent on the next spark. Either way, I walk away knowing I stayed true to my promise: never quit on effort, only pivot when the work has taught me all it can.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a photographer-painter who likes to notice the stuff most people walk right past, back-alley light, a shirt flapping on a line, the hush of a late bus stop. My photos try to freeze those small, homelike moments and say, “Hey, we’re all in this together.” My paintings flip the coin: same everyday settings, but something’s off-figures don’t fit, colors don’t quite match. They poke at that feeling of being both part of the world and a bit outside it. Whether it’s comfort or unease, I want people to think and feel.
There is only one way to make it: just showing up every day, making the work, and letting the rough patches teach me. I learned to laugh when things flop, and keep moving.
If you remember one thing about DADA KIM, let it be this: the art is a reminder that we share the same air, even when life feels sideways. Look twice, breathe once, and maybe you’ll spot a little poetry in your own laundry line.

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?
Los Angeles is a choose-your-own-adventure city, so I give friends a menu, not a rigid schedule. For art, it’s either the Getty, great collection, huge views, picnic-ready lawns or LACMA paired with a relaxed Melrose brunch. For sand time, we pick just one stretch of coast: Malibu for wide-open quiet, Venice for people-watching, or Manhattan Beach for a sunset pier walk.

Evenings, we’ll hit the restaurants inside the Proper Hotels (Palma in Santa Monica plus Calabra and Cara Cara downtown), then add N/Soto for casual Japanese, Zaytinya in Culver City for shareable Mediterranean plates, and Manuela in the Arts District. Drinks depend on the mood: polished cocktails at Death & Co downtown, laid-back pints and natural wine at Homage Brewing in Chinatown, or a round of spritzes at Capri Club in Eagle Rock. If we need a breather, we grab snacks, head to Elysian Park, and watch the sunset while catching up. One museum, one beach, a handful of great meals, and a park view, enough of LA to leave any visitor planning their next trip back.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to give credit to my partner, my brother, and my parents, who endlessly support and encourage me, stand by my side whenever I need them, and (perhaps most importantly) keep insisting my work is great even when it clearly isn’t (haha).

Website: https://www.dadakim.com

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

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dadakiim