(Un)Layering the future past of South Asia: Young artists’ voices

(Un)Layering the Future Past of South Asia: Young Artists’ Voices, the current exhibition at SOAS Gallery, showcases works by 26 young artists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Afghanistan. 

Curated by Salima Hashmi and Manmeet K. Walia, this exhibition serves as a reflection of shared histories, artistic expression, and the aspiration for a more interconnected South Asia. A new seed sown through curatorial collaboration, it seeks to provide a platform for young and emerging artists—those with fresh voices—to share the stories of South Asia on a global stage, allowing their work to be seen beyond their home countries.

A multidisciplinary exhibition, it transcends traditional materials and mediums, incorporating painting, textile installations, and paper-based works, alongside lens-based art such as photography and film. Addressing urgent themes, it delves into struggles, emotions, aftermaths, war, conflict, and the sectarian, ethnic, and religious challenges faced across the region.

Supported by The Ravi Jain Memorial Foundation, the exhibition presents newly commissioned works and London debuts, offering reflections on South Asia’s entangled histories and contemporary realities.