A New Solo Exhibition Opens in Kala Ghoda
The Institute of Contemporary Indian Art (ICIA) is set to present #EveryDayIsCheatDay, a solo exhibition by contemporary artist Suryakant Lokhande, on view at the ICIA Gallery from 9 to 14 February 2026.
A Theatrical World of Pleasure and Excess
In this new body of work, Lokhande constructs a vividly theatrical universe where pleasure, nostalgia, and ambition collide. Familiar cartoon figures emerge as protagonists in scenes shaped by wealth, conquest, leisure, and indulgence.
Cartoon Characters as Cultural Masks
Detached from their original narratives, these figures operate as cultural masks rather than innocent icons. They inhabit symbolic landscapes of gold, luxury, and fantasy, evoking collective memory while reflecting contemporary human behaviour.
Abundance as Atmosphere, Not Achievement
Rather than celebrating prosperity, Lokhande presents abundance as routine. Excess becomes an everyday condition, where indulgence is no longer exceptional but a constant atmosphere within modern life.
Looping Spectacle and Quiet Tension
The characters appear perpetually engaged—collecting, posing, resting, and celebrating—yet their actions feel suspended in repetition. This theatrical stasis suggests an underlying tension between spectacle and emptiness.
Nostalgia Meets Adult Economies of Desire
A key element of the exhibition is the unsettling collision of childhood cartoon innocence with adult economies of aspiration and desire. Lokhande’s imagery balances playfulness with subtle control and exhaustion beneath the surface.
An Artist Examining Power, Desire, and Spectacle
Suryakant Lokhande is known for blending popular visual culture with painterly realism to explore themes of power, aspiration, and spectacle. His practice draws from mass media and theatrical staging, making him a significant voice in Indian contemporary art today.
Artist Statement on the Exhibition
Speaking about the show, Lokhande notes that his work uses cartoon figures to explore wealth, fantasy, and everyday life, where happiness becomes a staged performance and indulgence turns routine.
Exhibition Details
| Aspects | Details |
|---|---|
| Exhibition Title | #EveryDayIsCheatDay |
| Artist | Suryakant Lokhande |
| Presented By | Institute of Contemporary Indian Art (ICIA) |
| Dates | 9th to 14th February, 2026 |
| Venue | The ICIA Gallery, Kala Ghoda |
| Theme | Desire, wealth, nostalgia, spectacle, and contemporary consumption |
Takeaway
With #EveryDayIsCheatDay, Lokhande reflects the logic of contemporary consumption back to viewers through exaggeration, nostalgia, and visual excess. The exhibition presents modern life as a stage where pleasure is endlessly rehearsed—abundant, performative, and quietly unresolved.
