Editions | The VAN & miniVAN

The miniVAN

From gritty urban graffiti to abstract surrealism, The miniVAN deftly navigates the ever-evolving artistic landscape, reflecting the pulse of modern culture.

Inspired by the pioneering spirit of Visual Artists News Sheet, The miniVAN sets out to redefine the landscape of contemporary art, providing a comprehensive platform for both established artists and emerging talents. As we honour the roots of the past, we fervently embrace the spirit of change, envisioning a future where art continues to inspire and challenge the human experience.

Packed with captivating features, exclusive interviews, and thought-provoking editorials, each issue of The miniVAN is a collectible art piece in itself. Readers can expect insider insights, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and a celebration of the unsung heroes shaping the artistic zeitgeist.

The visionary team behind The miniVAN comprises renowned art writers, respected artists and curators, and passionate creatives dedicated to curating an enriching experience for readers and artists alike.

The miniVAN invites you to embark on an extraordinary journey that transcends the boundaries of imagination. Whether you’re an art aficionado, a budding artist, or simply curious about the transformative power of visual expression, The miniVAN promises to ignite your passion and broaden your horizons, bringing you from the inside of an artist’s studio to the wide realm of creative practices that exist outside of how we think of visual art.

Out Now | November December 2023 Special Issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

Cover Image: Shilpa Gupta, Words Come From Ears, 2018, Motion flapboard, 15-minute loop, 43 x 244 x 13 cm; photograph by Par Fredin, courtesy of the artist, Uppsala Art Museum, and the Henry Moore Institute.

Visual Artists Ireland is thrilled to publish the November-December 2023 special issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet. As recipient of the inaugural VAN Guest Editor Award 2023, London-based art critic and editor Orit Gat has developed a themed issue on the relationship between art and literature. As stated by Orit in her editorial for this special issue, “The relationships of art and literature is a subject I have personally been engaging with for a long time […] But this theme was particularly inspired by the growth of the literary scene in Ireland, the amount of Irish fiction I’ve been reading, and my appreciation of the work of many Irish…

Pavilion of Austria, Invitation of the Soft Machine and Her Angry Body Parts, installation view, 59th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, ‘The Milk of Dreams’; photograph by Marco Cappelletti, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia.

Venice Biennale | Bingo Biennale

A friend sent me a great Venice Biennale Bingo Card as I set off for the airport, and not long after my arrival it was filling up.1 There are patterns that repeat every two years at this monster show, tensions between the market and public funding, shouty PR and actual art, with lots of inequality and excess. The super busy retro Austrian pavilion encapsulated so many of these contradictions, accompanied by a catalogue that was more furniture magazine than manifesto, but strangely both.2 As you may have heard, the 59th edition shifted its historic gender imbalance towards women, with an 80% dominance in artistic director Cecilia Alemani’s Arsenale and Central…

Francesca Woodman, Self-portrait talking to Vince, Providence, Rhode Island, 1977, Gelatin silver estate print; Photograph courtesy The Woodman Family Foundation and Marian Goodman Gallery, © Woodman Family Foundation / DACS, London.

Out Now! – May-June issue of the Visual Artists’ News Sheet

VAN’s May/June issue features coverage of several major exhibitions, including ‘i See Earth’ at VISUAL, Carlow, and ‘girls girls girls’ at Lismore Castle Arts. Also featured in this issue is an interview with Rónán Ó Raghallaigh, a profile on the 40th anniversary of Black Church Print Studio, a Regional Focus on County Longford, and much more. This issue introduces a new column series focusing on ‘endings’ from the Department of Ultimology, as well as several Arts & Disability columns, variously outlining: Arts & Disability Ireland’s Curated Space programme; Visual Thinking Strategies for people with visual impairments; and the realities of maintaining an art practice whilst living with chronic pain or…

Anthony Haughey, Anthem Art Intervention, Fort Dunree, on the Eve of the Anglo-Irish Treaty Signing, 5 December 2021; photograph by Anthony Haughey, courtesy the artist and Artlink.

Out Now! – January – February issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

January/February 2022 issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet In VAN’s first issue of the year, we profile a range of exciting projects, exhibitions, screenings and festivals taking place around the country, as 2021 came to a close. On The Cover Anthony Haughey, Anthem Art Intervention, Fort Dunree, on the Eve of the Anglo-Irish Treaty Signing, 5 December 2021; photograph by Anthony Haughey, courtesy the artist and Artlink. Columns Kites. Cornelius Browne considers aerial vantage points and objects of flight. Patience. Andy Parsons discusses his residency at Sligo University Hospital. Glimpses. Clíodhna Shaffrey chronicles ongoing preparations for the Venice Biennale. Revising the Rainbow. Hannah Tiernan discusses the…

Aideen Barry, Klostės, behind the scenes; photograph by Martynas Plepys, courtesy the artist and Kaunas 2022, European Capital of Culture.

Out Now! – November – December 2021 issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

VAN’s final issue of the year has just been despatched to members and arts organisations, while the digital version is now available for subscribers in the members’ area of the VAI website. You can receive a copy directly in the post, as part of VAI’s membership subscription (Professional or Associate, €25/€50 per year). Alternatively, you can pick up a copy for free in galleries and art centres nationwide. In VAN’s Nov/Dec 2021 issue, we reflect on some timely exhibitions and festivals taking place across Ireland, while profiling several new organisations. On The Cover Aideen Barry, Klostes, behind the scenes; photograph by Martynas Plepys, courtesy the artist and Kaunas 2022, European…

Anna Spearman, ‘Loose Parts’, installation view, Roscommon Arts Centre; photograph by Dickon Whitehead, courtesy the artist and Roscommon Arts Centre.

Out Now! September – October 2021 issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet

In celebration of physical encounters with art – and the role of writing in recording these experiences – this issue focuses almost exclusively on the many interesting and vibrant exhibitions taking place around the country over the last few months. Among numerous Exhibition Profiles, Mary Flanaghan interviews artist Anna Spearman about her recent solo show, ‘Loose Parts’ at Roscommon Arts Centre; Dr Yvonne Scott reflects on Mary-Ruth Walsh’s touring exhibition, ‘SKIN DEEP’; and Davey Moore outlines the recent group show, ‘Double Estate’ at the Pearse Museum, presenting works from the OPW State Art Collection. In addition, Jane Morrow reviews the recent exhibition series, ‘Mediating Signals’ at Flax Art Studios, curated…

Amanda Coogan, still image from ‘They Come Then, The Birds’, 2021; Photograph by Ciara McMullan, courtesy the artist

MAY-JUNE ISSUE – OUT NOW!

As this issue goes to print, we find ourselves on the cusp of summer, yet still awaiting clarification from government on the easing of public health restrictions, which would bring about the much-anticipated reopening of studios, galleries and art centres across the Republic of Ireland. We lament the loss of gatherings and public events that define the Irish visual arts community, who have been so dramatically impacted by successive lockdowns, as recently asserted by patron of Visual Artists Ireland, President Michael D Higgins, who celebrated his 80th birthday on 18 April. Reflecting on the absence of public moments to punctuate his painting practice over the last year, Cornelius Browne considers…

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MARCH-APRIL ISSUE – OUT NOW!

Welcome to the March – April 2021 Issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet. As galleries and museums across Ireland and Northern Ireland remain closed to the public, we have once again had to temporarily shift our focus away from physical exhibitions. VAN’s March – April 2021 issue is loosely themed around artist publishing activities, while also covering a timely range of online film screenings and moving image programmes. We seem to be witnessing an unprecedented return to publishing in the Irish visual arts community, evident in the vast array of artist books, catalogues, monographs and photobooks currently being produced. These exciting developments are reflected across this issue of VAN.…

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JANUARY-FEBRUARY ISSUE – OUT NOW!

Happy new year! After a difficult year, we hope you all enjoyed a peaceful festive season. The January-February 2021 issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet has a broad thematic focus on artist-led practice, with timely profiles on various DIY projects, artist collectives, residencies, workspaces and other infrastructure. As well as profiling various artist-led studios (including The Complex, Atelier Maser, Graphic Studio Dublin, spacecraft and Vault) we also hear from NINE, Angelica and Na Cailleacha – collectives and networks established during lockdown to enhance visibility and provide peer support for artists. This issue also explores several experimental artist-led projects taking place outside the gallery and largely disseminated via social media.…

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November/December Issue – Out Now!

With the ongoing closure of all cultural venues nationwide (due to Level 5 public health restrictions, aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19) once again galleries are having to find ways to supplement, extend or archive their exhibition programmes across a range of digital platforms. VAN’s November – December issue considers the pragmatic, conceptual, aesthetic and institutional benefits and challenges of these virtual and screen-based presentations – displaced from physical encounters and no longer dependant on bodily proximity. The competition brief for the DCC/VAI Art Writing Award 2020 drew on current critical debate surrounding online exhibitions, with writers invited to consider whether this curatorial model, without significant precedent, is an…

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