Sara Sejin Chang's 'Transmutation' Confronts Colonial Legacies at Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd

Sara Sejin Chang (Sara van der Heide), born in 1977, presents the solo exhibition 'Sara Sejin Chang – Transmutation' at Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd. The Korean-Dutch artist's paintings and video installations engage critically with Western museum ideals and colonial mentalities pervasive in European art. Her bicultural background informs works that clash productively with the historic architecture of the manor, offering a charged context distinct from typical white cube galleries. Key pieces include the 2024 film 'Dismemberment', where Chang performs a Korean shamanistic ritual for a fictional gallery owner embodying Europe, with objects from the film displayed in an adjacent room. Another video installation, 'Four Months, Four Million Light Years' from 2020, further explores themes of identity and colonialism. 'Hollands Kabinet' (2010-12), comprising 558 watercolors of historical cabinets spread across multiple rooms, responds to rising far-right influences in the Dutch House of Representatives. Video installations run up to an hour, gaining impact when viewed fully. An introductory interview with Chang provides guidance without oversimplifying the layered works. Photographer Johannes Schwartz documented the exhibition.