In small, energetic oil paintings inspired by Old Masters, Salman Toor paints familiar scenes with intricate brushstrokes and palpable intimacy. The Pakistani-born, U.S.-raised artist takes the viewer behind closed doors to show young gay men of color relaxing together, dancing, and (what else?) checking their smartphones. “I am thinking of particular memories, people or moods as I’m painting,” Toor said in 2019, “my subjects are made-up of people who I think are like me.” This is his first solo survey in a U.S. museum. —E.C.

Salman Toor: How Will I Know
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Whitney Museum of American Art / New York / Art
Whitney Museum of American Art / New York / Art
Salman Toor, “Bedroom Boy,” 2019. Courtesy of the artist.
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