Collection: Victor Van

Victor Van

Practicing at Interact since 2016

Victor Van creates images in response to images. Taking screenshots from the internet and TV, Van systematically replicates content. He begins each piece by drawing a grid, which he then uses as a framework for resizing and translating digital images into acrylic paintings on canvas or paper. He works quickly, using loose strokes and color blocking to approximate the details of the original source. Van’s practice is encyclopedic in scope, covering subjects that range from Disneyland to local news, Thailand to the Rocky Mountains. He has categorically recorded innumerable birthday cakes, state capitols, small businesses, and TV show anniversaries. In a 2016 series of handbound artist books, Van transcribes public radio audio alongside mixed drink recipes and drawings of cars.

Van has presented work in exhibitions throughout the Twin Cities, including We Are Not Disposable (2020), Randomland at The White Page (2019), Changing Landscapes at the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota (2017), and Etcetera at CanCan Wonderland (2017). In addition to his artistic practice, Van regularly devotes time to meditation, exercise, and building community. In Spring of 2020, he volunteered in his neighborhood, collecting trash and making hand-sewn masks. 

Special thanks to Xavier Tavera for this portrait of the artist.