We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yulin Yuan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Yulin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Art has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. As a child, I would create comic books about my friendships and sketch dresses for my classmates, feeling instinctively drawn to self-expression through art. But it was during a difficult period in my teenage years that art became my refuge and, ultimately, my purpose. Growing up as an immigrant in South Africa, I often felt like an outsider. I experienced bullying, microaggressions, and racism in school, and while my family supported my education, they couldn’t fully understand these challenges.

Though I was doing reasonably well in school, art felt like the one realm where I had complete control and freedom. During a winter break, I visited my grandfather, I learned that he had once dreamed of becoming an artist himself but couldn’t pursue it because of poverty. Excited to share a connection, I showed him my artwork, and that moment was the first and last time we bonded over art after I moved abroad. It saddens me that he doesn’t have the chance to see how art has shaped my life and that I am now an artist and art educator, carrying forward a dream we both share.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Yulin, and I’m an interdisciplinary artist and educator with focus in photography, video, assemblage and paper. I earned my MFA from James Madison University and my BFA from the University of Cape Town, and I currently teach art foundation and intermediate courses, including 2D Design, Drawing, and Digital Photography. My practice spans both 2D and 3D media, embracing a diversity of forms to explore themes of identity, memory, and cultural heritage. Growing up as an immigrant in South Africa and experiencing life across continents—from China to the United States—has deeply informed my perspective and my work.
In my creative practice, I gravitate toward projects that reimagine identity through the lens of culture and mythology. My MFA thesis explored identity-building among immigrants, using domestic spaces and Chinese mythology as recurring themes. I also create assemblages that blend cast fragments of my own body with inanimate objects, giving life to new mythological beings inspired by Chinese folklores. I’ve been drawn to collage which allows me to construct new narratives by juxtaposing fragments and recontextualizing objects. Through collage and assemblage, I aim to visually explore the ‘in-between’ spaces of identity, where cultural and personal elements intersect.
What sets my work apart is its interdisciplinary nature and its focus on the body’s relationship to technology, mythology, and the mundane. Currently, I’m researching the intersection of the body, sexuality, and mortality in digital spaces and the role of digital environments in shaping immigrant identities. I’m working on a series that incorporates moving images and sculptural elements, reflecting on how digital spaces redefine personal and cultural identity.
I’m most proud of my dedication to fostering inclusivity and self-expression in my teaching. I prioritize creating an open, supportive classroom environment where students can explore and celebrate their identities, whether through honoring their chosen pronouns or adapting projects to meet diverse needs. I want my followers to see my art as a space for conversation—about identity, the immigrant experience, and the continuous negotiation between past and present.
My goal is to encourage others to embrace the fluid, multifaceted nature of identity. I hope my work resonates with viewers as a reminder that identity is never fixed but constantly evolving, shaped by experiences, memories, and connections.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

From my perspective, supporting a thriving creative ecosystem means embracing and valuing the global diversity of artistic voices. Being in various countries has given me insight into the importance of cross-cultural influences in art. These experiences have shaped my understanding of how essential it is for society to invest in artists from all backgrounds, as their work reflects diverse histories, perspectives, and identities.

Accessible funding, educational resources, and inclusive art spaces can empower artists to share stories that resonate across borders. Affordable, collaborative spaces allow creatives to engage with different communities and explore intersections of identity, culture, and tradition.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is connecting with people who resonate deeply with the stories in my work. When someone tells me that my art reflects an experience they’ve gone through, it’s incredibly powerful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yulinyuanart.com/
• Instagram: @yulin_one

Image Credits

Yulin Yuan