The geometric exp­ressionism of Hasnat Meh­m­ood’s works invites the viewer to indulge in the gratification of sensuous colour, shape and form at a primeval level. But the title of his latest show, ‘Subaltern Futures’, warns us that, while we can tentatively enjoy the moment, a feeling of disquiet and presentiment always lurks as an undercurrent.

The show is seamlessly curated by Atteqa Ali to include Saks Afridi, a Peshawar-born artist, now living and practising in the US, who draws on his heritage of carpet weaving. Afridi transforms the traditional variegated designs of the Persian rug into computer applications, and they erupt out of their rigour to create a universe in which particle physics was still in the early stages of violently creating matter during the big bang.

The sparks of light amid the darkness and the swirls of nebulous colour seem to refer to planetary objects, galaxies, comets, stars and asteroids. By including Afridi in the show, Ali has shown venerable curatorial skills, marking the difference between a good show and a cerebral one.

Why the uncertain undercurrent? The idea of the........

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