Immigration Men 2019

Salman Toor made this painting, "Immigration Men," and the way he uses thin layers of oil paint, kind of like watercolor, gives it a dreamy, unreal feeling. It's like he's remembering a moment rather than just painting what he sees. Look at the surface – how the colors blend softly, almost like a memory fading at the edges. The brushstrokes are visible, but they're gentle. Notice the way Toor renders the two figures and the objects on the table, like the shoe, the phone and the cable. The light seems to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. It's all very muted, a world of subtle color shifts that creates a feeling of melancholy. Toor's work reminds me a bit of early Alex Katz, in the way he captures a specific mood with so few details. It feels like Toor is hinting at something deeper, inviting us to bring our own experiences to the canvas and fill in the gaps.