LINK 2024 Conference Proceedings: Cross-Cultural Practice-Led Research in the Global South
Authors:   Auckland University of Technology, Mortensen Steagall Marcos 
Published: January 2025

The LINK 2024 Conference on Practice-Led Research and the Global South brings together artistic, Indigenous, and practice-oriented research that engages with cultural, environmental, and societal challenges from a Global South perspective. Structured into four sessions, the conference proceedings showcase diverse methodologies, cultural insights, and creative practices that address pressing contemporary issues.

In the first session, Māori scholars from Aotearoa present work rooted in Indigenous research that focuses on resilience, identity, and cultural reconnection. Hinematau McNeill discusses preserving Māori traditions in contemporary design, while Kat Freeman and Sonia Mehana explore sustainability in Māori burial sites and funeral practices. Toiroa Williams honors Whakatōhea heritage through multimedia art, and Tangaroa Paroa celebrates takatāpui identity through poi art. Uenuku Jefferies reclaims traditional Māori tattooing, and Wiremu Tipuna discusses intergenerational knowledge transmission. Jenni Hohepa-Tupu examines the impact of transracial adoption on cultural origins, and Robert Pouwhare re-envisions Māori narratives for today. These presentations emphasize the role of Māori research in strengthening cultural identity and community.

Session two includes New Zealand researchers who delve into storytelling, environmental responsibility, and sensory engagement in art. Welby Ings traces the development of practice-oriented PhDs in New Zealand, while Tatiana Tavares integrates cultural storytelling with augmented reality. Marcos Steagall explores photography's spiritual dimension, and Cecelia Faumuina infuses Oceanic values into contemporary art. David van Vliet raises ecological awareness through lens-based art, and Jason Kennedy offers an animation framework for performance. Joseph Michael addresses inherited trauma through multimedia, while Cherise Cheung, James Smith, and Summer Shan explore themes of diaspora, pluralism, and exile. Contributions in this session highlight environmental awareness, cultural storytelling, and inclusive design.

The third session shifts to Brazilian researchers who examine design's educational, sustainable, and social roles. Guilherme Tadeu de Godoy reflects on Brazil's countercultural design of the 1970s, and Daniel Grizante de Andrade discusses animation in museums. Claudia Alquezar Facca emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration in engineering education, and Felipe Guimarães de Oliveira addresses sustainable textile practices. Miriam Lona proposes a reflective model for digital design education. This session underscores Brazil’s commitment to sustainable design, collaborative learning, and social impact.

Session four includes Chilean and Aotearoa researchers exploring place, heritage, and Indigenous design. Michèle Wilkomirsky synthesizes four decades of South American design, while Jaime Reyes and Nicolás Piérola use creative documentation and drawing as research methods. Iván Ivelic examines Indigenous values in urban planning, and Claudia Aravena Abughosh addresses transculturation in Santiago’s Palestinian community. Alvaro Mercado discusses Chile's socio-environmental issues from desalination. Scholars Tatiana Tavares, Toiroa Williams, Jason Kennedy, James Smith, Qianying Li, and Joseph Michael contribute insights on cultural heritage and socially engaged design.

Collectively, LINK 2024 fosters cross-cultural collaboration and mutual support, advancing research that addresses social and cultural issues across the Global South. Through these diverse practice-led methodologies, the conference strengthens global understanding and appreciation for different perspectives in art and design research.