The Man Without Qualities was a solo exhibition by Michael Baastrup Chang at CDS Art & Visibility – Gallery for Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, February 1 – April 30, 2010. The exhibition presented new aquatints created during Chang’s residency at Crown Point Press in San Francisco, alongside large-scale monochrome paintings and multi-panel works.
The aquatints ranged from white to deep violet impressions, exploring tonal variation, chine-collé, and subtle geometries rooted in minimalist traditions. The centerpiece was an eight-panel tempera and wax painting titled The Man Without Qualities, referencing Robert Musil’s novel and echoing influences from Brice Marden and Scandinavian modernism.
Critics highlighted Chang’s paradoxical approach, balancing systems and chance, order and intuition. His transition from figurative to abstract painting reflected broader dialogues in modern and contemporary art, linking Nordic sensibility with global minimalism.
Michael Baastrup Chang (b. 1973) studied at Central Saint Martins in London and is based in Copenhagen. Later solo shows include The Journeyman (2011), Infinity Loop and Images of Eggs (2012), Life After Ninety (2016), Colours Collected from a Childhood (2020), and Graphite (2022). More at www.galleri-ws.dk.