Fundamental Instincts: A solo art exhibition by Ankur Rana

The Visual Arts Gallery at India Habitat Centre presents Fundamental Instincts, a solo exhibition by artist Ankur Rana, curated by art critic Georgina Maddox. On view from August 28 to 31, the exhibition introduces Rana’s latest body of work created in a newly developed medium—oil on rose-gold stainless steel. The reflective surface lends the paintings a shimmering quality, evoking the movement of water and light.

The curatorial framework positions art-making as a primal human instinct, tracing its role in survival, social interaction, and cultural expression. Rana’s 25 canvases explore core emotions and instincts such as preservation of the self, the search for companionship, and the human need to connect with the environment. His works often blur the boundaries between human, animal, and divine realms.

Highlights include The Bait, which comments on desire and survival through ironic imagery; Shallow vs Supreme, a contemporary reimagining of Lord Shiva; Cup of Peace, a meditation on harmony with nature; and The Gift, where technology intrudes into a natural scene through the reflection of a mobile phone. Other works, such as Companion, capture the delicate balance between humankind and the natural world.

Born in Meerut in 1981, Rana studied at the National Museum and the College of Art, Delhi, and has exhibited widely in India and abroad. His work is represented in collections including Lalit Kala Akademi, the Embassy of Cuba, and Imago Mundi.

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With Fundamental Instincts, Rana positions art as a universal impulse bridging instinct and reason, while using innovative materials to reflect on love, companionship, beauty, and survival.

When: August 28 – 31; 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Where: Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi