Floating Shelf II 2018

Salman Toor made Floating Shelf II using thin layers of oil paint applied to a smooth surface. The artist's hand is apparent in the way he has built up the image through visible brushstrokes and a muted color palette. The oil paint allows for subtle gradations of color and light. This creates depth and dimension, and capturing the textures of the books, frames, and other objects. Beyond this, the painting also reflects a global trade of goods and ideas. The books themselves are products of industrial printing processes, available because of mass production and distribution. The photographs, too, suggest a circulation of images and memories across time and space. By depicting these everyday items with care, Toor elevates the mundane and invites us to contemplate the material conditions of contemporary life. He blurs the lines between personal and public, revealing the intimate connections between objects, memories, and cultural exchange.