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Mel Chan is an artist based in the Netherlands. Working across painting, participatory performance, storytelling, installation, and video, her practice explores how we imagine endings, futures, and the possibility of living otherwise. She is interested in the cultural and political stories that make violence, rupture, and uncertainty appear inevitable.
Born and raised in colonial Hong Kong before the 1997 handover, Chan grew up with a strong sense that something was coming to an end, while the future remained beyond her control. This experience continues to shape her thinking about “the end of the world” — not as a singular event, but as a story we tell ourselves about what cannot be changed.
Through her work, Chan questions this sense of inevitability. Her paintings transform images of violence, protest, and destruction into spaces for contemplation, while her participatory works invite audiences to reflect, care, witness, and imagine together.
Rather than offering a vision of a better future, her practice asks what becomes possible when we refuse to believe that the future has already been decided.
Chan holds an MFA with Distinction in Master of Artistic Research from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, and a BA with a double major in Philosophy and Comparative Literature from The University of Hong Kong. Her work has been presented at, among others, Boijmans Depot, Kunstinstituut Melly, Casco Art Institute, Loods 6, V2_, 1646, Brutus, Willem Twee Kunstruimte, Platform POST, Pictura, as well as at various art spaces and festivals in the Netherlands.
Born and raised in colonial Hong Kong before the 1997 handover, Chan grew up with a strong sense that something was coming to an end, while the future remained beyond her control. This experience continues to shape her thinking about “the end of the world” — not as a singular event, but as a story we tell ourselves about what cannot be changed.
Through her work, Chan questions this sense of inevitability. Her paintings transform images of violence, protest, and destruction into spaces for contemplation, while her participatory works invite audiences to reflect, care, witness, and imagine together.
Rather than offering a vision of a better future, her practice asks what becomes possible when we refuse to believe that the future has already been decided.
Chan holds an MFA with Distinction in Master of Artistic Research from the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, and a BA with a double major in Philosophy and Comparative Literature from The University of Hong Kong. Her work has been presented at, among others, Boijmans Depot, Kunstinstituut Melly, Casco Art Institute, Loods 6, V2_, 1646, Brutus, Willem Twee Kunstruimte, Platform POST, Pictura, as well as at various art spaces and festivals in the Netherlands.
Artworks
Articles
Media
Highlights
Recommendations
Collections
Shows
Market position
CV
In corporate collection:
Normec, NL
CV
EDUCATION
2019
MFA Artistic Research (Distinction), Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
2010
BFA Autonomous Art, Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam
2003
BA Philosophy and Comparative Literature (Double Major), The University of Hong Kong
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over, MOYA (Museum of Young Art), Oosterhout
2023
When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be, Willem Twee Kunstruimte, Den Bosch
2021
White Chrysanthemums and Prince Edward, SinArts Gallery, The Hague
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
Airthropology – What Floats Between Us, Josilda da Conceição Gallery, Amsterdam
In Motion, MOYA Museum, Oosterhout
2025
Wild Summer of Art: Traces We Keep, Brutus, Rotterdam
Start of the Season!, Casco Art Institute, Utrecht
Warúm Darúm Warúm Darúm – A Conversation Piece, Loods 6, Amsterdam
Resonance from the Void, De Doelen Art, Rotterdam
Performance Programme at Depot for Festival Motel Mozaïque, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Ripples Ripples, Het Archief Artspace, Rotterdam
It’s Only the End of the World, Cloud, Amsterdam
2024
Ever Ending, Platform POST, Nijmegen
Home Idea: exhibition alongside the symposium ImagiNation: Hong Kong in Exile, Ngo Dei, The Hague
Escaleren, Pictura, Dordrecht
Party at the End of the World, Vondelbunker, Amsterdam
Transitions: Navigating Humanity in a Shifting Reality, The New Current / Brutus, Rotterdam
She Knows, Rademakers Gallery, Amsterdam
2023
ASMR Performance for Soft Destructions, in collaboration with Anna Witt, Kunstinstituut Melly, Rotterdam
A Public Affair, Young Collectors Circle / Dead Darlings, Amsterdam
This Is the Age of Destruction, Galerie Franzis Engels, Amsterdam
2022
Human Kind. Kind Human, Electron, Breda
Kaapstad: Art in Public Space Festival, Tilburg
Dead Darlings – Issue², Vrij Paleis, Amsterdam
My Goals Are Bigger Than Yours, in collaboration with David Ghelli Santuliana, Cas-co, Leuven, Belgium
2020
Optimism Over Despair, Contemporary Art Weekend, The Hague
In Times of Confinement, SinArts Gallery, The Hague
2019
Nasty Women, #team/Femke, De Balie, Amsterdam
ACPA Conference: Is This Thing On? The Public Dimensions of Artistic Research, Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, Leiden University, Leiden
Locating ArtScience #2: Children of the Space (A Forest), Today’s Art Festival, The Hague
Specter, V2_, Rotterdam
Book Launch, Page Not Found, The Hague
I Was Mostly Delighted, but Yes, Also a Little Bit Afraid, Quartair, The Hague
ART FAIRS
2024
Art Rotterdam, Rotterdam
PAN Amsterdam, Amsterdam
2023
Springboard Art Fair, Werkspoorkathedraal, Utrecht
2022
This Art Fair, Kromhouthal, Amsterdam
2021
Big Art, Hembrug, Zaandam
KunstRAI, RAI Amsterdam
RESIDENCIES
2024
MOYA (Museum of Young Art), Oosterhout
2012–present
ARiM (Artist Residency in Motherhood)
ART COLLECTIVES
2024–present
Kunstambassade, Rotterdam
Committee Member and Communications Consultant
2024–present
Kunst Overlevings Pakket, with Marijke Breuers and Gretha Hengst
Project presentations:
AADK, Blanca, Murcia, Spain
Casco Art Institute, Utrecht
Kunstliefde – Ruimte voor Beeldende Kunst, Utrecht
FUNDING
2025
Voordekunst: successful crowdfunding campaign for the project Kunstoverlevingspakket
COLLECTIONS
Corporate collection
2023
Normec
Private collections
Works by Mel Chan are held in private collections in the Netherlands, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United States and Norway.
2019
MFA Artistic Research (Distinction), Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
2010
BFA Autonomous Art, Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam
2003
BA Philosophy and Comparative Literature (Double Major), The University of Hong Kong
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024
It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over, MOYA (Museum of Young Art), Oosterhout
2023
When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be, Willem Twee Kunstruimte, Den Bosch
2021
White Chrysanthemums and Prince Edward, SinArts Gallery, The Hague
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
Airthropology – What Floats Between Us, Josilda da Conceição Gallery, Amsterdam
In Motion, MOYA Museum, Oosterhout
2025
Wild Summer of Art: Traces We Keep, Brutus, Rotterdam
Start of the Season!, Casco Art Institute, Utrecht
Warúm Darúm Warúm Darúm – A Conversation Piece, Loods 6, Amsterdam
Resonance from the Void, De Doelen Art, Rotterdam
Performance Programme at Depot for Festival Motel Mozaïque, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Ripples Ripples, Het Archief Artspace, Rotterdam
It’s Only the End of the World, Cloud, Amsterdam
2024
Ever Ending, Platform POST, Nijmegen
Home Idea: exhibition alongside the symposium ImagiNation: Hong Kong in Exile, Ngo Dei, The Hague
Escaleren, Pictura, Dordrecht
Party at the End of the World, Vondelbunker, Amsterdam
Transitions: Navigating Humanity in a Shifting Reality, The New Current / Brutus, Rotterdam
She Knows, Rademakers Gallery, Amsterdam
2023
ASMR Performance for Soft Destructions, in collaboration with Anna Witt, Kunstinstituut Melly, Rotterdam
A Public Affair, Young Collectors Circle / Dead Darlings, Amsterdam
This Is the Age of Destruction, Galerie Franzis Engels, Amsterdam
2022
Human Kind. Kind Human, Electron, Breda
Kaapstad: Art in Public Space Festival, Tilburg
Dead Darlings – Issue², Vrij Paleis, Amsterdam
My Goals Are Bigger Than Yours, in collaboration with David Ghelli Santuliana, Cas-co, Leuven, Belgium
2020
Optimism Over Despair, Contemporary Art Weekend, The Hague
In Times of Confinement, SinArts Gallery, The Hague
2019
Nasty Women, #team/Femke, De Balie, Amsterdam
ACPA Conference: Is This Thing On? The Public Dimensions of Artistic Research, Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, Leiden University, Leiden
Locating ArtScience #2: Children of the Space (A Forest), Today’s Art Festival, The Hague
Specter, V2_, Rotterdam
Book Launch, Page Not Found, The Hague
I Was Mostly Delighted, but Yes, Also a Little Bit Afraid, Quartair, The Hague
ART FAIRS
2024
Art Rotterdam, Rotterdam
PAN Amsterdam, Amsterdam
2023
Springboard Art Fair, Werkspoorkathedraal, Utrecht
2022
This Art Fair, Kromhouthal, Amsterdam
2021
Big Art, Hembrug, Zaandam
KunstRAI, RAI Amsterdam
RESIDENCIES
2024
MOYA (Museum of Young Art), Oosterhout
2012–present
ARiM (Artist Residency in Motherhood)
ART COLLECTIVES
2024–present
Kunstambassade, Rotterdam
Committee Member and Communications Consultant
2024–present
Kunst Overlevings Pakket, with Marijke Breuers and Gretha Hengst
Project presentations:
AADK, Blanca, Murcia, Spain
Casco Art Institute, Utrecht
Kunstliefde – Ruimte voor Beeldende Kunst, Utrecht
FUNDING
2025
Voordekunst: successful crowdfunding campaign for the project Kunstoverlevingspakket
COLLECTIONS
Corporate collection
2023
Normec
Private collections
Works by Mel Chan are held in private collections in the Netherlands, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the United States and Norway.
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