2025 Featured Artists
We’re excited to announce the artists chosen for this year’s issues of 4N magazine! Issues 3 and 4 will feature international artists from China, Colombia, Taiwan, Turkey, Korea, India, Israel, and Pakistan, sharing work across a variety of mediums. Stay tuned for Issue 3 coming this Spring, and Issue 4 this Fall.
Barbie Kim, multidisciplinary visual artist
Jenny Wang, writer & editor
Zhanyi Chen, installation artist
Renee Yu Jin, visual artist
Mengru (Ru) Zhou, painter
Chen Gao, land artist
Susana Gomez, painter & actress
Yulanda Yo-Rong Shieh, production & set designer
Zeynep Elif Ergin, visual artist
Michelle Ma, filmmaker
Xinyi Liu, graphic designer & installation artist
Jafri aka Islamabaddie, visual artist & photographer
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
Stay tuned! We have two exceptional issues of 4N coming your way!
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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
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.
In this Open Call we’re doing things a little differently and accept talents for issues 3 and 4 concurrently. This will allow us to organize two issues of the magazine at once and consider a cohesive editorial direction. We’ll also keep in mind each talent’s visa schedule to determine which issue they’ll be selected for.
As our experience with this magazine grows, we’re looking towards more ambitious 4N projects. In considering this, we’ve made the tough decision to increase the participation fee required of talents who are selected for print. Here are our updated prices:
Early Submission $350 | Deadline: November 18, 2024, 11:59 PM EST
Regular Admission $400 | Deadline: January 6, 2024, 11:59 PM EST
It is completely free to submit your work for consideration!
A fee will only apply if you are selected and choose to be included in the magazine. These fees contribute directly to the costs of producing the magazine, and programming events.
Our Talent Open Call for Issues 3 & 4 is now closed.
READ MORE...
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...
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
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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
Bungee Space
Codex
McNally Jackson
Museum of Chinese in America
LRCNYC.online
Printed Matter
Topos Too
Ursula Bookshop
54 Hudson
CA
Skylight Books
OR
CHESSCLUB
ASIA
On Sundays, Tokyo
Vacilando, Bangkok
EUROPE
Archive Souq, Berlin
Do You Read Me?!, Berlin
Print Room, Rotterdam
For general inquiries please email
4N@specialspecial.com