out now | 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 – September/October Issue

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As countries around the world continue to grapple with the shifting realities of COVID-19, the impact on the cultural sector is resonating far and wide. Thousands of museum and heritage jobs have already been lost in the UK and in the US, in a bid to offset looming deficits caused by the extended organisational closures. Coupled with the recent activism surrounding the Black Lives Matter campaign – which brought about the dismantling of problematic public monuments and their contentious histories – such instability provides a backdrop for current critical debate surrounding the shifting role of institutions in times of crisis. At the time of writing, the International Council of Museums…

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The Unseen Shows: Episode 5 with Gary Coyle

The fifth episode of ‘The Unseen Shows’ Podcast is out now. This episodes features an interview with Gary Coyle, whose solo exhibition, ‘Dreaming Different Dreams’ ran at at Kevin Kavanagh Gallery, Dublin. VAN Features Editor, Joanne Laws, talks to Gary via Zoom about this exhibition and the wider themes in his practice. ‘The Unseen Shows’ is a new podcast series by Visual Artists Ireland. This podcast series features interviews with artists whose exhibitions are currently sealed behind closed doors, due to the closure of all cultural venues in mid-March, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. A printed version of this interview, with installation images from the exhibition, will be…

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The Unseen Shows Podcast: Episode 1 with Mark Garry

‘The Unseen Shows’ is a new podcast series by Visual Artists Ireland. This podcast series features interviews with artists whose exhibitions are currently sealed behind closed doors, due to the closure of all cultural venues in mid-March, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The first podcast in this series features an interview with Mark Garry, whose solo exhibition ‘Songs and the Soil’ opened at The MAC in Belfast in late January. This interview was conducted in in early-April via Zoom, just before the scheduled closure of his show. A printed version of this interview, with installation images from the exhibition, will be published in the July/August issue of The…

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2020 03 May/June

May/June Issue – Out Now

At the time of writing, all cultural institutions, galleries and studio groups remain closed, as part of the unprecedented nationwide restrictions announced on 12 March, aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 in Ireland. As this issue went to print, the coronavirus pandemic surpassed 2 million cases globally. Thankfully, the figures in Ireland have remained comparatively low. However, the detrimental impacts on the Irish cultural sector are likely to resonate for some time. Our bi-monthly editorial schedule has allowed us to update some of our previously commissioned content, to better reflect the rapidly shifting scenario. Many of this issue’s contributors frame their observations through the lens of recent restrictions. For…

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2020 01 January/February

January/February 2020 Issue – Out Now!

The January – February 2020 issue of The Visual Artists’ News Sheet is out now. The first issue of 2020 introduces Visual Artists Irelands’s new discursive programme, ‘VAN Chats’, which aims to further emphasise our publishing activities through a series of public talks and events. Following a screening event at Project Arts Centre organised by VAI, Lívia Páldi interviews artist Kader Attia about his research and practice. Also in this issue, Joanne Laws interviews Kunstverein Braunschweig curator Raoul Klooker, ahead of group critique workshop and talk on queer artistic practices, which takes place on 7 February at Visual Artists Ireland’s Dublin office. Continuing his column on plein air painting, Cornelius…

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2019 06 November/December

November/December Issue – Out Now!

The final issue of 2019 profiles a range of significant projects including: Dorothy Cross’s recent performative event, Heartship; Sinead McCann’s socially-engaged project, film and touring exhibition, The Trial; and Eimear Walshe’s recent commemorative project, commissioned by Roscommon County Council. In addition, Ailve McCormack visits current Turner Prize 2019 nominee, Tai Shani, in her studio at Gasworks, London. Shifting our focus to the island of Syros in Greece, Christopher Steenson, reports on the site-specific sound residency, Sounding Paths 2019, which he attended in July, while Andrew Duggan discusses his presentation of unravel_rios at Eye’s Walk Digital Festival. In other festival profiles for this issue, Chris Clarke discusses his highlights from Middleborough…

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2019 05 September/October

Moving Image and Photography Special Issue – Out Now!

VAN’s 2019 themed issue focuses on contemporary Irish photography and moving image, probing the expanded parameters of each medium in the digital age. With an abundance of image-making technologies now readily at hand within our daily lives, this issue considers how static and moving images are created, disseminated, consumed and stored. In technical terms, it has never been easier to produce images; however, some argue that with the plenitude of media now available, it is becoming harder to create images that are culturally relevant or interesting. As evidenced throughout this issue, such inquiries manifest in current artistic practice through rejections or subversions of digital technologies. This includes a resurgence of…

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2019 04 July/August

July/August Issue – Out Now!

For VAN’s July/August issue, Joanne Laws and Alan Phelan provide thematic appraisals of the 58th Venice Biennale, while Pamela Lee reports from Art Basel and VOLTA Basel art fairs. This issue includes a number of timely interviews with artists and curators. Chris Clarke speaks to Richard Proffitt about his recent installation, May the Moon Rise and the Sun Set, for Cork Midsummer Festival, and Paul McAree interviews Niamh O’Malley, whose exhibition is currently showing in St Carthage Hall, as part of the Lismore Castle Arts programme. Pádraic E. Moore speaks to Annie Fletcher, who has recently been appointed as the Director of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, while Philip…

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2019 03 May/June

May/June Issue – Out Now!

The May – June 2019 issue of the Visual Artists’ News Sheet is out now. This issue includes a brief focus on prominent national art collections. Discussing the 60-year evolution of the Niland Collection, Emer McGarry, Director of The Model, highlights collecting and ‘keeping’ as active investments in building ‘living repositories’ of thoughts and ideas. As the Arts Council of Northern Ireland launches its new Art Lending Scheme, Suzanne Lyle, Head of Visual Arts, discusses their contemporary collection. Similarly, Eamon Maxwell offers insights into the evolution of the Arts Council of Ireland Collection, which was established in 1962. VAI NI Manager, Rob Hilken provides an overview of art collections in…

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2019 02 March/April

March/April Issue – Out Now!

The March/April issue of the Visual Artists’ News Sheet is out now. In columns for this issue, Sarah Durcan outlines her ongoing research project, ‘The Memory-Image’, as well as a related screening event at the Irish Film Institute in January. Sara Greavu discusses the evolution of CCA Derry’s dedicated reading group, booksvscigarettes, which aims to bring concentration and care to a range of texts, through the attentive act of communal reading. The Skills Column for this issue comes from James L. Hayes, who discusses experimental casting processes, technologies and materials, as well as the most recent iteration of his ongoing ‘Iron-R’ project. Reflecting on the many uncertainties currently facing artists…

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