Workdesk with Michael Baastrup Chang’s family photographs.

Biography

Profile

Name
Michael Baastrup Chang / 미길 B. 장
Birth Date
Place of Birth
Skanderborg, Denmark
Heritage
Danish mother and Korean father
Based in
Copenhagen

Biography

Studied visual arts at Central Saint Martins in London before returning to Denmark and establishing a studio practice in Copenhagen. Began painting figuratively in 1995, gradually developing towards abstraction, and made a debut exhibition in 2008. The practice encompasses painting, drawing, printmaking, and audio/visual work, with exhibitions, screenings, and residencies in Denmark, Europe, and the US.

Reading the Work

Writing about art began shortly after the debut exhibition, initially as letters to fellow artists and friends. Over time, writing developed alongside the paintings, drawings, prints, residencies, and exhibitions, becoming an ongoing part of the artistic practice. Together, the work and writing trace a sustained inquiry across different media and over time, returning repeatedly to a central question: Why do we make art?

Materials and Process

The practice is based on natural materials such as chalk, egg tempera, oil paint, graphite, and beeswax. Pigments are hand-mixed with linseed oil, while supports and canvases are prepared by hand using priming methods developed and adapted to the requirements of each medium. The work engages materiality, colour, memory, and rule-based systems.

Representation

Galleri Weinberger Schandorff, Copenhagen.