A community magazine showcasing extraordinary foreign talent in America.
Order Issue No. 1 & 2 Now
Issue No. 3
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ISSUE #3
In Issue 3 we feature twelve creatives from Colombia, China, Turkey, Taiwan, and Pakistan, working in a wide range of disciplines, from illustration, journalism, and set design, to graphic design, books, film, and performance. To designate only one word to represent their career is unfair, yet when applying for a visa they can only represent themselves in a singular field. In 4N we aim to share more of their true spirit. We want to invite more perspectives to further the multidimensional vision of
our project. For this and the next issue, arts writer and curator Annette An-Jen Liu (who recently renewed her artist visa) serves as our guest editor, asking layered questions to each of our talents to better represent their backgrounds and interests.
BarbieKim
Xuezhu Jenny Wang
Zhanyi Chen
Renee Yu Jin
Mengru Zhou
Chen Gao
Susana Gomez
Yulanda Yo-Rong Shieh
Zeynep Elif Ergin
Michelle Ma
Xinyi Liu
Jafri aka MadFree
Upcoming Featured Artists
We’re excited to announce the artists chosen for the next issue of 4N magazine! Issues 4 will feature international artists from China, Taiwan, Korea, and India sharing work across a variety of mediums. Stay tuned, Issue 4 will be coming out this Fall.
Featured Artists:
Shengxuan Hu, graphic designer
Xinan Helen Ran, land artist
Ziggy (Zhenglong) Yang, installation artist
Jiayi Li, digital artist
Yuyang Cara Cai, multidisciplinary designer
Alice Wu, graphic designer
Clarine (Seo Hyun) Lee, photographer & textile artist
Kalyani Tupkary, artist
Tong Xie, filmmaker
Mingwei (Trista) Zhong, media artist
Nancy Xi Nan, illustrator
E...
ISSUE #2
In Issue 2 we feature fourteen creatives from China, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. We present works in illustration, product design, music production, conceptual videos, fiber art, fashion design, and installations. There were some challenges with how to feature time-based work in an optimal way, but this magazine does not limit creativity, and strives to feature diversity across all mediums. We hope you enjoy this new coterie of 4N talents.
Hang Yu
Angel Tianying Yu
Cecily Li
Elias Grau
Keyi Liu
Ally Yanxiu Luo
Dizparity
YUECEN
Sixing Xu
Supatida Sutiratana
Zixin Chen
Terumi Saito
Sherly Fan
Xinyi Yang
ISSUE #1
The artists featured in 4N issue 1 consist of ten foreign creatives currently based across the United States, hailing from China, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Vietnam. They have diverse disciplines including conceptual art, film, painting, illustration, bookmaking, photography, and tea ceremony performance. All of them came to the United States for their studies, where they honed their skills and talents. Since then, they have expanded their horizons to share their unique voices with the international community, both in the United States and around the world. We are proud to present them as 4Ners.
Artists Featured:
Yanbin Zhao
Kenix Xiaoqing Liang
Vyolet Jin
Weiyun Chen
Anh Lê
Yi Hsuan Lai
Taole Zhu
Fía Benitez
Keiko Taniguch
Michelle Eun Jung Ho
Foreign Origins
The Journal: An Exchange of Foreign Origins provides a blueprint to the 4N universe, chronicling the beginnings of 4N and its backstory.
The Journal features text by Wen-You Cai on inspirations for the 4N magazine format, and her experience as a visa sponsor and recommendation letter-writer. Mirrored throughout is Special Special’s designer, Panny Chayapumh’s, personal journey on the opposite side of the visa journey–measuring adulthood through three-year O-1 visa cycles, and inspirations for the magazine’s design.
READ MORE...
VIEW AD GALLERY
VIEW AD GALLERY
Talent Submission
Submit your portfolio to our Open call for a chance to be featured! We celebrate foreign talent by exclusively featuring creatives who are applying for O-1 visas or Green Cards, to provide an avenue for showcasing and promoting their exceptional talents.
Our Talent Open Call for Issues 3 & 4 is now closed.
Next Open Call will open at the end of 2025
READ MORE...
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>ABOUT 4N
Stemming from the creative platform of Special Special, 4N is a biannual
magazine showcasing extraordinary foreign talent in America. We recognize
the challenges faced by foreigners in obtaining sufficient credentials to
demonstrate their value for staying in the United States, and 4N acts as a
platform for those artists to present their work in the company of other
talented creatives. Our goal for 4N is to create a community-based publication
that honors and highlights the exciting work and personalities involved.
>ABOUT SPECIAL SPECIAL
Special Special is a creative studio based in New York City, founded by Wen-You Cai.
The studio began in 2016 as an arts project space and shop in the East Village, showcasing
everyday art editions produced in collaboration with artists of all mediums. Special Special
continues to uphold a collaborative spirit with like-minded creatives, and is committed to
fostering community through our unique perspectives.
Visit Special Special
NY
Accent Sisters
Aeon Bookstore
Bungee Space
Casa Magazines
Codex
Iconic Magazines
LRCNYC.online
McNally Jackson
Museum of Chinese in America
Printed Matter
Topos Too
Ursula Bookshop
54 Hudson
CA
Skylight Books
OR
CHESSCLUB
ASIA
On Sundays, Tokyo
pon ding, Taipei
Vacilando, Bangkok
EUROPE
Archive Souq, Berlin
Do You Read Me?!, Berlin
Print Room, Rotterdam
For general inquiries please email
4N@specialspecial.com