Black Cube Gallery is presenting Sudhanshu Sutar and Andrea Zucchi at the newly launched venue
Sanya Malik’s newly opened Black Cube Gallery in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, presents its second show, Kindred Dichotomies, a compelling exhibition featuring Sudhanshu Sutar and Andrea Zucchi. On view from 10th April to 27th April 2025, the show brings together two distinct artistic voices exploring history, identity, and memory through archival imagery and cultural symbols, bridging past and present.
Black Cube Gallery showcasing Artists transcending language
The exhibition brings together two contemporary artists—Sudhanshu Sutar from India and Andrea Zucchi from Italy— whose works, though born from distinct cultural and historical contexts, engage in a profound visual and conceptual dialogue. Even though the artists do not share a common spoken language, their practices speak to one another in a way that transcends verbal communication, exploring themes of historical continuity, identity, memory, and reinterpretation.
Sutar and Zucchi both work with imagery that blurs temporal boundaries, merging past and present through visual storytelling. They delve into historical materials—archival photographs, literature, and cultural symbols—reinterpreting them to address contemporary concerns. Their approaches, however, differ in tone and execution: while Sutar constructs narratives rooted in his personal and cultural history, focusing on lost royalty and shifting identities, Zucchi plays with appropriation and juxtaposition, layering historical imagery with an irreverent, almost surreal energy.
Sudhanshu Sutar’s Storytelling in Paintings
Image Courtesy- Black Cube Gallery.
Sutar’s work is deeply rooted in Odisha, India’s historical and cultural landscape. Inspired by Kanika Palace—a structure reminiscent of Buckingham Palace, yet one whose original grandeur has faded over time—Sutar’s series on kingship and lost royalty reflects on the ephemeral nature of power and identity. Through his paintings, he resurrects forgotten histories, capturing the echoes of a past that still lingers in contemporary consciousness.
Sutar’s background is instrumental in shaping his artistic vision. Growing up in Odisha, he absorbed stories of Indian independence, royal life, and theatre, all of which are expressed in his work. These influences manifest in his highly staged compositions, where each painting functions as a meticulously arranged theatre set, evoking the tradition of Indian Nataks (theatre performances) that Sutar has witnessed throughout his life.
His artistic approach involves stripping faces of their individuality, allowing the figures in his work to embody broader concepts of kingship, power, and historical displacement. He constructs a dialogue between the past, present, and future, where history does not remain static but is constantly reinterpreted.
Andrea Zucchi’s Reinterpretation of History
Image Courtesy- Black Cube Gallery.
Zucchi’s artistic practice is characterized by his engagement with historical imagery, which he transforms through the lens of contemporary visual culture. Born in Milan, Zucchi’s early artistic influences stemmed from classicism, philosophy, and literature, eventually leading him toward a unique visual language that fuses historical references with striking modern interventions.
His latest series involves the appropriation of 19th-century photographs, which he reimagines through exaggerated, almost psychedelic colours and compositions.
Unlike Sutar, who reconstructs lost narratives through deeply personal connections, Zucchi engages in a playful yet critical examination of how history is preserved, copied, and repurposed.
Bridging Communication Through Art
This exhibition presents a rare opportunity to witness how two artists from vastly different backgrounds can converge in their exploration of time, memory, and identity. Despite linguistic and cultural differences, their works engage in a rich conversation—one that demonstrates the power of art to bridge gaps, create connections, and foster a dialogue that transcends words. Here, history is not merely remembered but reimagined, proving that the past is never truly behind us; it is always in flux, waiting to be rediscovered.
Image Courtesy- Black Cube Gallery.
About Black Cube:
Black Cube Gallery is a contemporary art space that challenges conventional hierarchies by bringing together established and emerging artists in a shared dialogue. Founded on the belief that art should exist beyond structured divisions, Black Cube creates a space where different artistic languages interact, where tradition and experimentation coexist, and where critical discourse is extended to all artists, not just the historically recognized. Black Cube launched its first permanent space in Hauz Khas, New Delhi in February 2025. The gallery remains committed to fostering meaningful engagement with contemporary art, offering exhibitions that challenge, provoke, and expand the way we experience visual culture. At its core, Black Cube is more than a gallery—it is a space of exchange, experimentation, and new possibilities for artistic thought and presentation.
Feature Image Courtesy- Black Cube Gallery
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