Artist Salman Toor is redefining the representation of queer South Asian men through figurative oil paintings that blend European old masters with modern immigrant narratives, gaining international acclaim and heading toward a major exhibition at London’s Courtauld Gallery, according to profiles in The New Yorker and The New York Times.
The Rise of Salman Toor and His Signature Emerald Aesthetic
Over the past decade, 43-year-old Pakistani American artist Salman Toor has built a reputation as a leading contemporary painter. According to profiles in The New Yorker and The New York Times, his rich figurative works depict queer South Asian men navigating modern life in bars, taxis, and phone screens. Toor’s painting Four Friends sold for $1.2m at Sotheby’s in November 2022, cementing his market status alongside solo exhibitions in New York, Baltimore, and Beijing.
Did you know? Salman Toor was recently named to Time magazine’s list of the most influential people in the art world, recognizing his impact on redrawing narratives around immigration, desire, and power.
London’s Courtauld Gallery Exhibition: ‘Someone Like You’
Next month, London’s Courtauld Gallery will present Someone Like You, a collection of Toor’s paintings and drawings curated by Elena Crippa. Toor noted that visiting the Courtauld during his first trip to London from Pakistan inspired his artistic direction, particularly his study of Édouard Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère. That historic composition directly informed Toor’s 2019 work The Bar on East 13th, which reinterprets the original scene in a New York East Village setting with a queer brown protagonist.
Navigating Heritage, Immigration, and New York Politics
Born in Lahore, Pakistan, Toor moved to the United States in 2002, earning a master’s degree in fine arts from the Pratt Institute in 2009. According to the artist, his signature emerald-green palette carries a dual meaning of glamour and poison, creating nocturnal, atmospheric spaces for immigrant narratives. Living in New York City alongside his partner, musician Ali Sethi, Toor creates work within a thriving South Asian and Middle Eastern creative community buoyed by local political shifts, including the election of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose family was the subject of an early portrait painted by Toor in 2007.
Pro Tip for Art Enthusiasts: When viewing contemporary figurative works that reference historical masters like Rubens or Van Dyck, look closely at color temperature and lighting choices—such as Toor’s use of nocturnal greens—to understand how modern artists subvert classical tropes to tell marginalized stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Salman Toor?
Salman Toor is a 43-year-old Pakistani American figurative oil painter and Time-recognized artist known for centering queer South Asian men in contemporary urban narratives.
Where is Salman Toor’s upcoming exhibition?
His upcoming greatest-hits exhibition, titled Someone Like You, opens next month at London’s Courtauld Gallery.
What are Salman Toor’s primary artistic influences?
Toor’s work draws heavily from European old masters—including Édouard Manet, Rubens, and Van Dyck—as well as Indian Mughal miniatures and modern New York pop culture.
How much have Salman Toor’s paintings sold for at auction?
In November 2022, Toor’s painting Four Friends sold for $1.2 million at Sotheby’s.
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