Immigration Portrait 2018

Salman Toor made this touching portrait in paint with loose brushstrokes, and it really captures a mood, doesn't it? The way Toor builds up the image is something else, you know? The paint isn't trying to hide or be smooth. Instead, you get this direct, raw feel. Look at how he lets the colors drip and blend, especially at the bottom of his brown robe, where white brushstrokes mimic the effect of fading out as if the figure were disintegrating. This isn't just about what the painting looks like but what it makes you feel. It feels like a whisper or a memory of someone leaving, which might echo the themes of identity, displacement, and longing that you see in much of his work. I can't help but think of Marlene Dumas. Like her, Toor doesn't give us answers but invites us to sit with the questions.