Yixuan Wang is a Chinese researcher, artist and PhD candidate at the Institute of Spatial Design, University of Arts Linz. Her interdisciplinary practice explores identity, grassroots creativity, future ecologies, digital technologies, and the empowering role of design, addressing questions of cultural sustainability and spatial justice.
In her PhD research, she collaborates with local communities to reimagine urban living through cultural reproduction and participatory place-making. Her work critically investigates how everyday creativity and digital media can support more inclusive and resilient urban futures. Wang’s research progress has been presented at various academic and practice-oriented platforms.

Julio Cesar Obscura is an award winning, Mexican-American artist based in Washington, D.C. His work explores and documents the complex weaving of identity, immigration, climate change, politics and cultural heritage. Obscura’s multidisciplinary practice is research-led and uses both established and emergent creative techniques for story driven design. Obscura has previously held various creative roles in national politics and currently works as a freelance artist. He is a Royal Society of Arts fellow, the first and former Fulbright Scholar at Royal College of Art in London where he received an MA, and holds an BA from Texas A&M International University.