We are proud to introduce Yaqing Hou, the creative mind behind the newly unveiled OCIES logo. A doctoral candidate and Teaching Associate in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, Yaqing brings a unique blend of artistic vision, intercultural insight, and academic rigor to our community.
Born in China and now based in Melbourne, Yaqing describes herself as living “in between”—between cultures, continents, and ways of knowing. Her lifelong engagement with art began at age three and has evolved into a deep exploration of intercultural understanding through visual storytelling, education, and design. In her research, Yaqing works closely with schools to co-design art-based lesson plans that bridge Asian and Western cultural perspectives. Her philosophy integrates Eastern and Western thought, blending the dynamic balance of Chinese yinyang philosophy with the relational aesthetics of a/r/tography, echoing Deleuze’s concepts of rhizome, multiplicity, and becoming. She weaves these traditions together with artistic aesthetics from both cultures, embracing liubai, the Chinese aesthetic of intentional blankness that invites imagination and interpretation, alongside the notion of the “third space,” a dynamic site for reflection, dialogue, and transformation.
Yaqing’s logo design for OCIES draws inspiration from the Earth, the ocean, movement, and interconnectedness. The circular form evokes a planetary perspective, reflecting OCIES’s global commitment to dialogue across cultures and regions. “The logo reflects waves—symbolising cultural flow, connection, and respect across the Pacific and beyond,” she explains. Through soft, cool tones and fluid curves, the design conveys openness, continuity, and a sense of becoming. It honours OCIES’s history while embracing its evolving future. “It’s not fixed. It’s in motion, just like our identities, our research, and our relationships.”
More than a symbol, the logo is an invitation. “I hope people feel a sense of belonging, openness, freedom, and movement,” Yaqing says. “OCIES is a space where we can grow together—through education, through community, through care.”
Yaqing’s advice to emerging scholars? “Believe in the voice that comes from your heart—especially if it comes from your cultural roots. OCIES is a place that values both creativity and scholarship.
