Kindred Dichotomies: Bridging Cultures and Time at Black Cube Gallery

In the heart of New Delhi’s vibrant Hauz Khas village, Black Cube Gallery presents Kindred Dichotomies—a powerful exhibition that brings together two singular artistic voices: Odisha’s Sudhanshu Sutar and Milan-based Andrea Zucchi. Curated by Sanya Malik, the show runs from April 10th to April 27th, 2025, and explores memory, identity, and history through the lens of two cultures in visual dialogue.

Though they originate from different geographies and generations, Sutar and Zucchi share a fascination with the past—not as static documentation but as a living, breathing narrative open to reinterpretation. Through archival photographs, historical symbols, and cultural references, both artists deconstruct time, reassembling it to reflect the complexities of the present.

Sudhanshu Sutar’s paintings are rooted in the historic grandeur of Odisha and shaped by his personal legacy. Inspired by Kanika Palace and the stories passed down by his family—his father a theatre director, his grandfather a palace carpenter—Sutar reconstructs scenes of lost royalty and shifting identities. His theatrical compositions feel like stage sets for forgotten epics, stripped of individuality to reveal universal meditations on kingship, power, and time.

Andrea Zucchi, on the other hand, approaches history with a provocative and ironic sensibility. His technique of 'psychedelic plagiarism' transforms 19th-century photography into vivid, surreal compositions that blur the boundaries between classical art and contemporary digital culture. By appropriating and remixing these images, Zucchi explores themes of authenticity, replication, and the visual overload of the modern world. His work critiques the ways we consume and reproduce history in the digital age.

Together, Sutar and Zucchi form a striking contrast—yet also a seamless conversation. One artist reconstructs with reverence, while the other reinterprets with irreverence. Their works diverge in tone and technique but converge in meaning: a mutual understanding that history is never truly behind us. It is fluid, reconfigurable, and rich with potential for new narratives.

Curated by Sanya Malik, Black Cube’s founder and director, Kindred Dichotomies is emblematic of the gallery’s commitment to fostering boundary-crossing dialogues between emerging and established voices. With academic credentials from Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art in London, Malik has crafted a space that values experimentation, inclusivity, and critical engagement.

This exhibition is more than an encounter between two artists—it’s a meeting of minds, generations, and continents. It proves that even without a shared spoken language, art can connect us across difference, evoking shared experiences of memory, displacement, and transformation.

Exhibition Details:

Dates: 10th April – 27th April 2025

Venue: Black Cube Gallery, G12A, 2nd Floor, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi