NEW YORK, New York — Gallery Chang, a contemporary art gallery known for featuring globally-renowned and influential artists, has brought its Middletown-based exhibition, “CHASE Project: Phase Shift,” to its Manhattan location this month. Originally staged inside a repurposed Bank of New York and Chase Bank building in Middletown, the cross-cultural exhibition is now on view in New York City from July 25 to Aug. 5.
The exhibition features six artists — Shin Kiwoun, Kim Hong Bin, Anon, Anikoon, Im Jibin, and Koo Nahyun — as they each explore different aspects of change and transformation. Three of the artists — Shin, Kim, and Anon — traveled to New York for the Manhattan opening and participated in an artist talk as part of the event.
Each artist’s practice responds to the emotional and material impact of change in their own way, notes Gallery Chang. Shin Kiwoun’s work “involves the physical abrasion of everyday objects, revealing the traces of time and memory embedded in material.” Kim Hong Bin’s paintings present “ruptures of color and texture that evoke structural and emotional tension.” Meanwhile, Anon’s contributions are “textile-based reliefs” that “offer a softer rhythm of transformation, layering fabric and fiber into sculptural compositions.”
Offering a unique glimpse into their own takes on change, Anikoon introduces “playful robot-like sculptures that suggest imaginative responses to transition,” while Im Jibin’s “large balloon forms animate abandoned space with humor and movement.” Koo Nahyun contributes “wall drawings [that] depict quiet moments of intimacy, suggesting that familiarity can endure even within shifting environments.”
The opening reception at Gallery Chang’s Manhattan space on July 25 drew a wide range of visitors, including local collectors, artists, and cultural workers. Several guests remarked on the unusual and captivating path the show had taken. “It’s rare to see a project that starts in a smaller town and then comes to New York,” said one attendee. “It makes you think differently about where contemporary art can begin.”
The exhibition was originally conceived as a site-specific installation inside “The Bank,” a former financial institution in Middletown now repurposed as a hybrid cultural space. Curated by Soojin Kang, the project was designed to explore how spatial transformation reflects broader economic, cultural, and emotional shifts.
“This building’s transition from a silent vault to an open space for dialogue reflects the changes we’re experiencing globally,” said Kang, adding, “It’s about how systems evolve, how meaning relocates, and how art can create new connections.”
The setting in Middletown played a key role in shaping the tone of the exhibition. “When we first visited the building, we weren’t sure what kind of energy it held,” said Gallery Chang’s director. “But once the artists stepped in, the space itself started to shape the conversation.”
Initially, the exhibition was meant only to activate “The Bank” as an experimental site. But after seeing the response from visitors and the depth of the dialogue it initiated, the gallery decided to expand the show to its primary Manhattan space. According to the director, “this cross-state expansion was not always part of the plan.”
The exhibition is not only about the physical transformation of space, but also about cultural positioning in a rapidly-changing world. By centering Asian artists — especially those based out of Korea — “Phase Shift” challenges conventional assumptions about who contributes to contemporary art and where that process starts. “Phase Shift quietly challenges assumptions about who participates in the shaping of contemporary art and where that shaping begins,” a press release for the event stated.
Looking ahead, Gallery Chang is considering continued experimentation in Middletown. “There’s something about the quietness of The Bank that welcomes reflection,” said curator Soojin Kang. “We see it not just as a place for this show, but potentially as a long-term site for new projects.”
Though the exhibition now hangs in Manhattan, the original presentation in Middletown remains integral to its meaning. “It was there that the artists met the space, that materials settled into context, and that a new story began.”
For more information, including upcoming projects, exhibitions, and other FAQs, please visit Gallery Chang’s official site here. The “CHASE Project: Phase Shift,” will be on display through Aug. 5, 2025.