Today we’d like to introduce you to Yangqi Deng.

Hi Yangqi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

After four years of tipping my toes into media arts, I wanted to further explore digital media art practices. So, I pursued a master’s degree at Rhode Island School of Design, where I met some incredibly talented friends. After graduating, we decided to move to New York together. And that’s the short version of how I ended up here.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

It definitely hasn’t been smooth sailing for me, but I feel incredibly lucky that most of the things have worked out in the end. The biggest and ongoing struggle has been constantly questioning myself—it takes a lot of effort to navigate being someone who tends to overthink everything. On top of that, as a 90%ish introvert, finding the courage to try new things and meet new people was especially challenging at the beginning. It’s been a journey of pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and while it hasn’t always been easy, it’s been worth it.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I am one of the founders of Levelwerk, a program I am especially proud of these days. As an international art graduate, I understand how challenging it can be to sustain an art practice while navigating financial stability and visa uncertainties. Fortunately, my roommate Karile and I were able to rent a house with a spacious living room, which we transformed into an alternative art space. Levelwerk provides non-profit support to artists and creatives, offering a space for residency and workshops. To date, we have hosted four residents and four workshops, fostering a community of emerging talent.

How do you define success?

For me, the concept of success comes down to small moments in daily life—a mindset I learned from my friend. Instead of viewing success as a big achievement that takes months to accomplish, she sees it in small acts of self-encouragement, like ‘I managed to wake up early today,’ ‘I got to my destination without missing my stop,’ or ‘I didn’t take responsibility for things that weren’t mine to carry.’ This perspective has influenced me to see success as a series of small daily actions that contribute to progress rather than a measure for self-criticism.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://levelwerk.art/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/levelwerkny/