Michael Baastrup Chang - CV

Michael Baastrup Chang is a Danish-Korean painter born in 1973 in Skanderborg, Denmark, known for his abstract compositions that blend Nordic and Eastern influences. He has a background in visual arts and has participated in various collaborative projects across different mediums.

Background

• Name: Michael Baastrup Chang / 미길 B. 장
• Birth Year: 1973-12-16
• Place of Birth: Skanderborg, Denmark
• Heritage: Danish mother and Korean father

Artistic Journey

• Education: Studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London
• Career Start: Debuted as a painter in Copenhagen in 2008
• Artistic Style: Focuses on abstract compositions that blend Scandinavian and Korean influences

Artistic Approach

• Themes: Explores personal introspection and emotional resonance through his work
• Techniques: Known for printmaking, emphasizing collaboration and experimentation
• Influences: Draws inspiration from artists like Brice Marden, Richard Diebenkorn, Kim Whanki, and Park Seo-Bo

Notable Works

• Exhibitions: Featured in various galleries, including Galleri Weinberger Schandorff
• Artworks: Includes pieces like "The Painter in His Studio, 2023" and "Colours Collected From a Childhood, 2020". His art invites viewers to reflect on the interplay between past and present, emphasizing the transformative power of creativity

Grants (Selected)

2011 — Project Grant, The New York State Council on the Arts

Received support for project development and artistic production in visual arts.

2010 — Travel Grant, Danish Arts Foundation

Funding awarded for international research and travel in support of artistic practice.

2009 — Travel Grant, Danish Arts Foundation

Supported travel and artistic exploration abroad to enrich visual arts practice.

1994 — Study Grant, City of Westminster, The London Borough

Early study grant awarded for academic and artistic development in visual arts education.

Residencies (Selected)

2023 — Spitbite, 1 week, Printers Proof, Copenhagen, Denmark

Explored advanced printmaking techniques and collaborative approaches to experimental monoprints in a focused one-week residency.

2020 — Monoprints, 3 weeks, Printers Proof, Copenhagen, Denmark

Intensive three-week residency focused on monoprint exploration and material experimentation, bridging traditional and contemporary print techniques.

2013 — Photogravure, 2 weeks, Crown Point Press, San Francisco, USA

Focused on photogravure printmaking, deepening technical mastery and exploring the expressive potential of etching and photographic processes.

2012 — Aquatint, 3 weeks, Danish Art Workshops, Copenhagen, Denmark

Specialized aquatint residency emphasizing layered surfaces and tonal experimentation in printmaking.

2011 — Aquatint, 4 weeks, Danish Art Workshops, Copenhagen, Denmark

Extended residency exploring aquatint, line, and tonal subtlety in contemporary printmaking practice.

2011 — Audio/Visual Experimental Installation, 1 week, Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY, USA

Collaborative experimental installation residency integrating visual and audio-visual work for public engagement and performance.

2010 — Collaboration with Stringdance+Media, 2 weeks, Brooklyn, NY, USA

Residency focused on interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating dance, media, and visual art practices.

2009 — Collaboration with Stringdance+Media, 2 weeks, Brooklyn, NY, USA

Explored collaborative performance, video, and visual art practices in an immersive interdisciplinary residency.

2009 — Aquatint, Hard Ground and Soft Ground, 2 weeks, Crown Point Press, San Francisco, USA

Residency focused on aquatint etching techniques, emphasizing both hard and soft ground processes for layered compositions.

2006 — Anatomy, 4 weeks, Panum Institute, Macroscopic Dept., Copenhagen, Denmark

Explored anatomical structures and forms, translating observations into print and painting practices.

2005 — Anatomy, 4 weeks, Panum Institute, Macroscopic Dept., Copenhagen, Denmark

Initial residency examining human anatomy and visual representation for artistic development in painting and printmaking.

Solo Exhibitions (Selected Major Shows)

2022 — Graphite, Galleri Weinberger Schandorff, Copenhagen

Solo exhibition presenting abstract works on canvas, paper, mobiles, and wall drawings centered on graphite as a medium. The show connected Chang’s first childhood sketches with his current practice, highlighting graphite’s role in generating new artistic ideas and directions. A short video documents the installation, textures, and spatial arrangements of the show.

2020 — Colours Collected From A Childhood, Galleri Weinberger Schandorff, Copenhagen

Explored memory, colour, and personal history through prints and abstract paintings. Visitors experienced large-scale works, delicate compositions, and immersive visual narratives. The exhibition video features close-ups of paintings, spatial arrangements, and the atmosphere of the show, giving an authentic sense of the exhibition.

2016 — Life After Ninety, Galleri Weinberger, Copenhagen

Featured drawings and paintings exploring systems, rules, and repetition as structures for abstraction. Included graphite drawings on paper, oil-wax treated paper combining graphite, beeswax, linseed oil, and pigment, and tempera paintings on canvas layered with pipe clay, chalk, slaked lime, and pigment. The series emphasized process, materiality, and the movement of the hand.

2012 — Infinity Loop And Images Of Eggs (with Mette Ussing), Cath Alexandrine Danneskiold-Samsøe Gallery, Copenhagen

Joint exhibition reflecting Chang’s transition toward material- and process-focused painting, rooted in historic techniques and natural materials. Inspired by tempera painting and ancient binders, Chang worked with lime, pigment, and egg-based mediums to build layered surfaces requiring patience and long drying times. The exhibition emphasized art as a slow, organic process, exploring themes of growth, failure, and dialogue between artists.

2011 — The Journeyman, Cath Alexandrine Danneskiold-Samsøe Gallery, Copenhagen

Combined graphite, beeswax, egg tempera, and printmaking to explore appropriation, materiality, and process. Works included layering graphite and beeswax over reproductions of Munch, Warhol, Bacon, and Goya, highlighting the color black and echoing minimalist traditions. Participatory works invited public mark-making, emphasizing dialogue and engagement.

2010 — The Man Without Qualities, CDS Art and Visibility – Gallery for Contemporary Art, Copenhagen

Presented new aquatints created during Chang’s residency at Crown Point Press in San Francisco, alongside large-scale monochrome paintings and multi-panel works. Explored tonal variation, chine-collé, and subtle geometries rooted in minimalist traditions. The centerpiece was an eight-panel tempera and wax painting referencing Robert Musil’s novel, linking Nordic sensibility with global minimalism.

Group Exhibitions (Selected)

2023 — Artwork Orange, Galleri Weinberger Schandorff, Copenhagen, Denmark

Participated in a group exhibition showcasing contemporary abstract painting, emphasizing color, form, and spatial composition.

2021 — Pop-Up Show: Konkret, Galleri Weinberger Schandorff, Charlottenlund, Denmark

Featured in a temporary pop-up exhibition highlighting contemporary concrete and abstract artworks, exploring materiality and color relationships.

2020 — The Postal-Collage Project No. 9, The Shuman Block, Berkeley, CA, USA

Participated in a collaborative mail-art project emphasizing experimental collage and networked artistic exchange.

2016–2015 — Anonymous Drawings 2015, Kunstverein Rüsselsheim (DE), Galerie GEYSO20 (DE), ARTQ13 (IT), Galerie Nord (DE)

Participated in an international exhibition series presenting anonymous drawings exploring abstraction, line, and gesture across multiple European venues.

2015 — Pairings: Collaborative Works by Two or More Artists, Healdsburg Center for the Arts, CA, USA

Showcased collaborative projects highlighting artistic dialogue, exchange of techniques, and joint creative processes in contemporary art.

2014–2012 — The Postal-Collage Projects No. 1–3, Ramon's Tailor and The Shuman Block, San Francisco/Berkeley, CA, USA

Participated in early collaborative mail-art projects exploring experimental collage, networked artistic dialogue, and spatial composition.

2011 — Fragments, Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY, USA

Exhibited multimedia and installation works exploring fragmentation, process, and audience interaction.

2010 — Stories of the Sun God, Triskelion Arts / Dance Entropy, New York, USA

Participated in a collaborative performance-based exhibition integrating visual art, movement, and experimental narrative.

2009 — The Vitruvian Woman, Velan Center for Contemporary Art, Torino, Italy

Featured in a group exhibition exploring figurative abstraction, proportion, and contemporary reinterpretations of classical forms.

2009 — At the Zenith, Magacin Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia

Exhibited contemporary abstract works as part of an international group show focusing on conceptual approaches to painting and drawing.

2009 — Water Preserves, DMA Gallery (Alfred) and State of the Art Gallery (Ithaca), NY, USA

Participated in a collaborative exhibition investigating themes of memory, preservation, and abstraction through water imagery and experimental techniques.

2009 — Anonymous Drawings No. 10, Kunstraum Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany

Exhibited anonymous drawings exploring process, gesture, and abstraction within a collaborative international context.

Bibliography (Catalogs and Essays)

• Michael B. Chang, More on Art, 2025–present Link
• A Collection of Catalog Texts, 2025–present Link
• 2012 — Infinity Loop and Images of Eggs, ISBN 978-87-992964-6-0
• 2011 — The Journeyman, ISBN 978-87-992964-4-6
• 2009 — The Man Without Qualities and Symposium, ISBN 978-87-992964-2-2
• 2008 — Monochromes and Short Wave Paintings, ISBN 978-87-992844-0-5
• 2008 — Four Grades of Reality, available at www.bibliotek.dk
• Michael B. Chang (ed. Justina Joy Bartoli-Miller), A Collection of Essays on Art, Forlaget Uden Titel, 2008–2014
• Michael B. Chang, Interferens: Interaktion med Jens Jørgens Thorsens film "Lys" 1988, Forlaget Uden Titel ApS, Copenhagen, 2011

Selected Press and Reviews

Trine Ross, Politiken.dk, Copenhagen, 2011: “Dansk krop overmaler Munch, Warhol og Bacon med sort” — A powerful and evocative take on the human form, showcasing a unique blend of tradition and contemporary expression.

Ray Finger, Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY, USA, 2011: “Fragments on Display at Arnot Museum” — A compelling presentation that challenges perceptions with layered narratives and experimental visuals.

Claudia Corrieri, ArtReview.com, London, 2010: “Exquisite Corpse Video Project: A Network First” — An innovative approach to collaborative video art that pushes boundaries and creates new dialogues.

Tita Nordlund-Hessler, Eskilstuna-Kuriren, Sweden, 2009: “Nu vill han göra bilder av tomrum” — Engaging with emptiness and form, the work invites viewers into a contemplative space between presence and absence.

Other Activities (Workshops, Talks, Art Fairs)

• 2022, Aug. 22–28 — Enter Art Fair, c/o Galleri Weinberger Schandorff, Copenhagen
• 2022, May 6–8 — Art Herning, MCH Messecenter, Herning, Denmark
• 2021, Aug. 27–Sep. 30 — Pop-Up Show: Michael Baastrup Chang, Galleri Weinberger Schandorff, Hellerup, Denmark
• 2020, Oct./Nov. — Paintings, drawings, and prints featured in Ulven kommer, DR1 Drama (Danmarks Radio)
• 2015, Dec.–Jan. — The Journeyman (Revisited), solo show, Kunstforeningen Det Kgl. Bibliotek, Copenhagen
• 2014, Jun. 28 — Open Studio and Live Concert with Slowness, Kunstnerkollektivet Tietgensgade, Copenhagen
• 2013, Aug. 8–9 — Pinhole Camera Workshop, Kulturskolerne, Hellerup, Denmark
• 2012, Dec. 16–18 — Video Dia Loghi, curated by LOOP, Velan Gallery, Torino, Italy
• 2011, Oct. 14 — Culture Night Open Workshops, Danish Art Workshops, Copenhagen
• 2011, Apr. 7 — Artist Talk: Meeting in the Middle, Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY, USA
• 2009, Apr. 1–May 30 — Rejected, solo show, Strandgade 10, Copenhagen
• 2014–2016 — Kunstnerkollektivet Tietgensgade, initiator, co-founder, member
• 2012–2013 — Kirstine Autzen (DK), exhibition and audio/visual collaborations
• 2011–2014 — Slowness (US), audio/visual and performance collaborations
• 2009–2011 — Christy Walsh (US), scenographic and performative collaboration
• 2009–2022 — Marty McCutcheon (US), multiple long-term collaborations
• Additional collaborations: Jan Kather (US), Melanie Chilianis (AU), Willy Darko and Irina Gabiani (IT), Stina Pehrsdotter and Niclas Hallberg (SE)

Video and Audio/Visual Works

Selected Documentaries (2008–2016)

• Life After Ninety (2016), 7:13
• Studio Visit I–III (2013), 6:37 / 9:25 / 7:02
• Images of Eggs Series (2011–2012), including Making a Print, Layer 1–6, and Infinity Loop
• Fragments (2011), 37:29
• The Man Without Qualities (2010), 6:10
• Stories of the Sun God (2009), 10:00

Selected Audio/Visual Works (2007–)

• 2025 — On Silence III: A Third Opinion — experimental short
• 2012 — Autzen+Chang — collaboration with Kirstine Autzen
• 2011 — Two Hands in the Air and One Hand in the Air — gesture-based performance works
• 2011 — No Manifesto — audio/visual manifesto exhibited across Europe and US
• 2011 — Little King and Black and White — collaboration with Slowness (US audio duo)
• 2010 — Y. — long-form video essay, 1h 38m
• 2009 — In the Morning, Spinning, Transformation, Interfaces — short experimental works
• 2008 — On Silence — early video statement on visual minimalism
• 2008 — Concerto Azzurro — collaborative film with Slowness
• 2007 — Pregnant — foundational short screened widely internationally

Selected Screenings (Condensed)

• 2014 — Y, Transborda – Overflow, Alcobaça, Portugal
• 2012 — No Manifesto, screened at ZET Foundation (Amsterdam), Galerie Octobre (Paris), Rich Mix (London), Savvy Contemporary (Berlin), Box Space (Milan), Expressive Arts Institute (San Diego)
• 2010–2011 — Interfaces and Transformation, ECVP Vol. 2, shown at Videoformes (France), Optica (Paris), Blueprint (London), Experimenta! (Brazil)
• 2009 — Pregnant and Espresso, ECVP Vol. 1, featured at:
  • Artists Television Access, San Francisco, USA
  • Indie Film Festival, Brazil
  • Alucine Festival, Toronto, Canada
  • Aza Digital Cinema Festival, Thessaloniki
  • Kulturpalast Wedding, Berlin, Germany
  • Sguardi Sonori Festival, Rome/Benevento, Italy
  • Optica Fest, Latin America (Buenos Aires, La Paz, Gijón)
• 2008 — Pregnant, Vansa Network, Cape Town, South Africa; Rural Research Labs, Elmira, NY, USA

References

galleri-ws.dk
artsy.net
artmatter.dk
michaelchang.dk