Ghost Story 2019

Curator: Salman Toor's 2019 painting, "Ghost Story", presents us with a gathering rendered in his signature style. What strikes you first about this work? Editor: The atmosphere, definitely. It's so palpable, like stepping into a humid night. The sickly green hues dominating the canvas, coupled with the strange light, create a distinct sense of unease and intimacy. It’s reminiscent of Edward Hopper, but filtered through a very different lens. Curator: Indeed. The pervasive green casts a pall over the scene, affecting how we interpret these figures, especially within a history of depicting queer brown bodies in art. What readings emerge for you given that contextual element? Editor: I’m thinking about the materiality of it all. Look at the brushstrokes—they're loose, almost frantic in places. The way Toor layers the paint suggests a build-up, both of image and emotion. Are we witnessing the residue of something? Consider, too, the significance of oil paint itself—historically a marker of prestige, now used to depict subjects outside that traditional purview. Curator: Exactly. The work exists as part of a canon while also critiquing that same canon. Take the title, "Ghost Story." What do you see evoked in terms of narrative, of the historical presences—or absences—the figures represent, the tensions made visible and invisible through representation itself? Editor: Perhaps a tale not fully told, secrets whispered in low light? The spectral quality is enhanced by the visible texture, the physicality of the medium becoming inseparable from the story itself. You almost feel the hand of the artist, guiding your gaze, dictating the terms of engagement. Curator: Yes, this evokes the act of storytelling and, moreover, *who* gets to tell it. Consider the power dynamics: the visible light source focuses our gaze on the intimate gathering to the left, contrasting against the portrait-like figures near the window. There's a deliberate imbalance here, one that disrupts easy interpretation and prompts a deeper look. Editor: Ultimately, I see it as a potent reminder of how material and technique intertwine. Curator: And I see a convergence of art history and the contemporary queer brown experience—where personal and cultural narratives meet on a single canvas.