EP 009: DUNG NGO

Image Culture

On EP 009 I speak with Dung Ngo. A prolific editor, publisher, and curator, Dung began his career studying architecture at Rice University, going on to curate exhibitions on architecture and design for the School of Architecture at Rice. It was during this time that Dung began consulting on titles for a range of publishers, as well as releasing his own book Bent Ply, a history of plywood furniture. In 2005, Dung was named Senior Editor and Creative Director of Rizzoli, where he oversaw definitive monographs for many of the world’s most influential architects, designers, and photographers, including a series of books with Francois Halard, of which he is particularly proud. In 2012 Dung began his own imprint, August Editions, a niche publishing house focusing on contemporary visual culture. Their most recent title is The Women of Woodcock, a book made in collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson exploring the set and fashion of Phantom Thread as seen through the photographs of Laura Hynd. Dung also publishes the magazine August Journal, each issue of which offers a deep dive into a single city, immersing the reader in its art, architecture, and design. I photographed Dung at his home in Carroll Gardens.