Meet Yixin Wang | Actor/Performance Artist/Creative Producer

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

Hi Yixin, why did you pursue a creative career?
I pursued an artistic and creative career because it’s the most honest way I know to exist. Growing up between different cultural systems, I often felt invisible or in conflict with the roles expected of me. Art became the space where I could question, resist, and reimagine those roles. It allowed me to express what I couldn’t articulate in words, and to turn my discomfort into something generative.

Whether I’m performing, creating movement, or building immersive experiences, I’m searching for truth—sometimes painful, sometimes beautiful, often both. For me, art is not about escape, but confrontation. It’s about looking closely at the systems we live in and asking: Who built this? Who benefits? Who is left out?

I realized early on that if I wanted to speak up—about personal struggles or broader social issues—I needed to be heard, and to be heard, I needed to be legitimate in the eyes of others. That realization shaped how I’ve approached my work: intentionally, thoughtfully, and with purpose.

I’ve been immersed in the arts since I was four. Over the years, I’ve built a multidisciplinary practice rooted in performance but informed by music, dance, producing, and costume design. These tools help me build layered, embodied experiences that invite both reflection and participation.

I love performing. I love thinking. And I feel most fulfilled when I can combine both. I create not for applause, but for impact—because I believe in the power of telling the truth, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. Art lets me speak across borders, languages, and identities. It makes me feel less alone—and reminds me that maybe someone else will feel a little more seen because I dared to speak.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m proud of the work I created this past April, when I made my stage debut in Los Angeles at The Actors Company with Are You the Last Slice?—an immersive physical theatre piece that challenges the veiled nature of exploitation. Through surreal imagery, movement, and light, the work explores how beauty can be a façade for control, how celebration can mask coercion, and how desire is often manipulated into entrapment. Blending gothic symbolism with raw emotion, Are You the Last Slice? is a feminist allegory about power, sacrifice, and the cycles of oppression. In it, a young girl climbs a pristine white wedding cake, drawn by the illusion of beauty and promise—only to discover the brutal reality beneath.

As the actor, director, and producer, it was incredibly challenging to bring this piece to life in under a month—but my team and I made it happen. I was also honored to showcase the work through Mark DeGarmo Dance’s 15th Anniversary Virtual Salon Performance Series for Social Change 2025.

Now, this “piece of cake” is traveling overseas to South Korea, where it will be exhibited at the CICA Museum as part of the “Co-Creation” series this July. I’m thrilled to share it in Asia—where my roots are—and excited to see how South Korean audiences respond to it.

It’s been a long journey to discover not only what I want to do, but how I want to do it—and to do it at the highest level. Growing up between different cultural systems, I often felt unseen or caught in contradiction. That sense of in-betweenness eventually became the fuel for my creative path. I used to feel uncertain while watching others shine in one defined discipline, while I was jumping between many. But over time, I came to realize that this fluidity is my strength. It’s how I break through. It’s what makes me a multidisciplinary artist who can represent myself fully.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that discomfort can be powerful. Rather than avoid it, I’ve learned to listen to it, live with it, and turn it into something generative. My work isn’t about reaching a final destination—it’s about continuing to ask questions, to dig deeper, to create honestly. I want the world to know that what I make is rooted in truth, vulnerability, and a refusal to settle for simple stories. I aim to create a world in my work that invites audiences to accept their true selves and feelings.

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?
I’m planning to take my friend to Venice Beach to soak up the vibes and stroll along Abbot Kinney Blvd—it’s full of cool shops, street art, and great energy. We’ll stop by Market, one of my favorite restaurants. They have a gorgeous outdoor space that’s perfect for hanging out with friends or even a cute date spot!

I also love Amoeba Music—it’s a treasure trove of vinyls, CDs, and DVDs. Whether you’re into rare finds or discovering new music, this place is heaven.

Another hidden gem in LA is The Museum of Jurassic Technology. It’s a privately owned museum filled with beautiful and exotic displays that feel like stepping into another world. The rooftop is such a peaceful spot—they offer cookies and tea, and people just sit, chat, and relax. There’s even a bird room where you can quietly observe birds up close. It’s honestly one of my favorite spaces in the city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a heartfelt shoutout to my incredible theatre mentor, Professor Claire Conceison—the Quanta Professor of Chinese Culture and Professor of Theater Arts at MIT. I first met Claire during my undergraduate years in Boston, when I was a member of the WuMing Theatre Club and she served as our mentor and advisor. Her guidance was instrumental to my growth, not only as a theatre artist but as a person.

Even after I moved to New York to pursue my master’s degree at NYU, Claire continued to support me—from offering advice to helping me establish a Chinese theatre club at NYU, where we successfully created and staged our first original production. Her encouragement helped me realize that theatre isn’t just about technique or performance—it’s about love, courage, and connection.

Thank you, Claire, for being a mentor, an inspiration, and a guiding light. I carry your lessons with me in every project I create.

Website: https://www.yixinnova.com/

Instagram: yixinnova_14

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yixin-wang-782465254

Other: IMDb: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm14283893?s=eacb5615-53e2-1599-e7c5-42b53c4d84c6&site_preference=normal