The exhibition curated by Sanya Malik at Black Cube Gallery explores transformation, identity, and the fragile beauty of human experience.
New Delhi, April 2025 — Metamorphosis, a solo exhibition by acclaimed Indian contemporary artist Phaneendra Nath Chaturvedi, opens on 3rd May 2025 at the CCA Building, Bikaner House in Delhi. Curated by Sanya Malik, the show spans both floors of the venue and continues until 9th May, with a satellite edition running at Black Cube Gallery, New Delhi from 10th–30th May 2025.
A Retrospective of Transformation
Metamorphosis is not merely a retrospective but a curatorial excavation of Chaturvedi’s evolving consciousness, spanning over twenty years of artistic practice. Through precise penmanship, hyper-detailed brushwork, and surrealistic interventions, Chaturvedi explores contradictions of human existence—beauty and brutality, order and chaos, nature and mechanisation—within a singular frame.
At the heart of the show is an inquiry into transience and transformation. His figures—distorted, anthropomorphised, or dissolving into abstract forms—serve as conduits for questioning identity, performance, and the artifice of appearance. Fragile motifs like butterflies, bougainvillaea, and wings punctuate his work, symbolising the ephemeral beauty within human chaos.
A Journey Through Form and Philosophy
Structured as a progression, the exhibition begins with Chaturvedi’s earlier figural drawings rooted in narrative realism. These pen-and-ink compositions portray human figures ensnared in existential tension. Gradually, the works move towards abstraction and surrealism, where anatomical structures melt into landscapes, suggesting a deepening engagement with metamorphic states.
A continuous motif in Chaturvedi’s work is his use of contrast, not only in his monochromatic drawings but also in the juxtaposition of rigid architectural elements and fluid organic forms. His recent works, including sculptural interventions in stainless steel and transparent colouration, echo the iridescence of nature’s most fleeting marvels: butterfly wings, insect exoskeletons, and shimmering water.
Immersive Curation at Bikaner House
Curatorially, Metamorphosis unfolds like a journey rather than a static display. Each room becomes a chapter, inviting viewers into a liminal space where the material and immaterial blur. The colonial-modernist architecture of Bikaner House complements the theme of transformation, offering an immersive backdrop for this exploration of metamorphic states.
Image Courtesy- Black Cube Gallery
Following its run at Bikaner House, Metamorphosis extends to a satellite edition at Black Cube Gallery, giving audiences an extended opportunity to engage with Chaturvedi’s transformative visual language.
About the Artist
Phaneendra Nath Chaturvedi (b. 1981, Varanasi) is a leading voice in Indian contemporary art. Drawing from his childhood in Banaras, his work blends anthropomorphic figures, vibrant natural motifs, and everyday objects. He employs diverse media including pencil, watercolour, acrylic, pigment, wood, fibreglass, and stainless steel.
Chaturvedi has exhibited at Lalit Kala Akademi (Lucknow), Mint Gallery (New Delhi), Karin Weber Gallery (Hong Kong), and Bruno Art Gallery (Singapore). His international showcases include Fondazione Querini Stampalia (Venice), Keumsan Gallery and Hangaram Art Museum (Seoul), and the Modern & Contemporary Art exhibitions in Dallas and New York. He holds a BFA and MFA in painting from the University of Lucknow and lives and works in New Delhi.
About the Curator
Sanya Malik is the founder and director of Black Cube Gallery in New Delhi. A graduate of Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, London, Malik has been immersed in Indian art from an early age. Her curatorial vision centres on bridging the gap between established and emerging voices, offering accessible, thought-provoking exhibitions.
About Black Cube Gallery
Launched in February 2025 in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, Black Cube Gallery is a contemporary art space that challenges traditional hierarchies by creating platforms where different artistic languages—traditional and experimental—interact. With a commitment to fostering critical discourse and inclusive engagement, Black Cube positions itself as a space for exchange, experimentation, and artistic innovation.
Feature Image Courtesy- Black Cube Gallery
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