This exhibition presents the kind of art that many people find hard to comprehend. The term “abstract” lingers on with an unexplained definition, but Christopher Saliba admits he was never ever intent on explaining away his works. They hang untitled, with only numbers to tell them apart – numbers, and very distinct colour palettes.

Yet the title is emphatic. These are 50 ‘Introspections’ created by this Gozitan artist who started off with geometry and blended away somewhere along the way. I refrain from describing these works as cosmic or stellar – commonly abused descriptions of abstracts. I have to look deeper than that. I start the viewing where the earliest paintings hang and observe how, initially, everything was pretty much textured and close to geometric in character. This art teacher knew what he wanted to do, but was not quite sure how to go about it. As happens with many an abstract artist – the will is ready to impinge on the technique, but years of technical experiments are not quite so easy to shed. So in my reviewing of this exhibition, I have to stop and observe, to find where Saliba has really managed to let his hand free to wander off into fantasy land, providing the kind of artscape that can allow an observer to really dive in and enjoy the colours.

The first tangible fluidity and loosening of the paintbrush is experienced in Untitled 34. And here the palette visibly softens and permeates into the background gently in an unexpected play of colours that seems like a definite divergence to the rest so far. And then I stall at Untitled 36 and again at Untitled 37. In the morning light that is drenching the atmosphere in the ground floor of the Auberge d’Italie, my first impression is that these two acrylic paintings are in 3D. But I have to move much closer to realise that this is not 3D at all, but indeed a very good illusion created by paint and movement. The canvas is as flat as the paper on which I write. Here, Saliba is really starting to tease the viewer. Untitled 40 is perhaps the strongest painting on show – it transmits passion, energy and exquisite fluidity throughout, while delineating an unequivocal sense of riveting action.

The general tendency to go overboard in the typical colours that run throughout the works – reds, oranges and traces of blue in practically every other painting – gives way in Saliba’s discreet collection of etchings, all created in one spurt of activity in the year 2000. These contrast surprisingly with the colourful canvases and yet in some instances, achieve a parallel nuance. The most fascinating etching of all, to my eyes, is Untitled 45. Here is texture, texture and yet more texture that powerfully transmits a freedom of mind, a liberation of the hand and a concentration of energy that firmly proves a strong mastery of the technique. A strong contradiction to his coloured canvases, the smaller etchings provide a condensed form of abstraction that is unique in itself. Not many local artists tamper with this medium but Saliba certainly proves to be intent, intense and consolidating in these experiments.

Introspections – art by Christopher Saliba – is at the Auberge d’Italie, Merchants Street, Valletta, until 30 April.