Salman Toor is a Pakistani-born American painter who has gained international recognition for his figurative paintings that depict the imagined lives of young men of South Asian origin in both South Asia and New York City. He is also rumored to be the husband of Ali Sethi, a famous Pakistani singer, songwriter, composer, and author.
Early Life & Education
Salman Toor was born in 1983 in Lahore, Pakistan. He attended Aitchison College, a prestigious boarding school for boys. He developed an interest in art at an early age and was influenced by Pakistani advertisements, comics, and magazines.
He moved to the United States in 2002 to pursue his higher education. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2006. He then obtained his Master of Fine Arts degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 2009.
Parents & Siblings
Salman Toor is a Pakistani-American painter who is married to Ali Sethi, a Pakistani singer, and writer. According to the Wikipedia article about him, Salman Toor was born in 1983 in Lahore, Pakistan. He attended Aitchison College, a prestigious boys’ school in Lahore.
However, the article does not mention anything about his parents or siblings. I could not find any other reliable sources that provide information about his family background. It seems that Salman Toor prefers to keep his personal life private.
Career & Achievements
Salman Toor started his career as a painter in New York City, where he faced challenges as an immigrant artist of color. He struggled to find gallery representation and recognition for his work, which did not fit into the mainstream categories of contemporary art. He decided to focus on his personal experiences and identity as a queer South Asian man living in the diaspora. He began to paint scenes of intimacy, loneliness, friendship, and belonging among his peers and community.
His paintings are characterized by expressive brushstrokes, vibrant colors, and distorted proportions. He draws inspiration from various sources, such as old master paintings, Bollywood movies, social media, and literature. He often incorporates elements of fantasy and humor into his realistic depictions of everyday life. He explores themes such as the treatment of brown men, the role of technology in daily life, and the contrast between public and private spaces.
Salman Toor has exhibited his work in several solo and group shows across the world. Some of his notable exhibitions include:
- Salman Toor: How Will I Know at the Whitney Museum of American Art (2020-2021), his first solo museum exhibition in the United States. The exhibition featured 15 paintings that showcased his range of styles and subjects.
- Living Histories: Queer Views and Old Masters at the Frick Collection (2021-2022), an artist residency and exhibition that placed his painting Museum Boys (2021) in conversation with two paintings by Johannes Vermeer, Officer and Laughing Girl (made between 1655 and 1660) and Mistress and Maid (c. 1667). The exhibition explored the connections between past and present, art and life, and queer perspectives and old masters.
- No Ordinary Love at the Baltimore Museum of Art (2022-2023), an exhibition that paired his paintings with old master paintings from the museum’s collection. The exhibition highlighted the similarities and differences between his contemporary portraits and the historical ones, as well as the themes of love, desire, and identity that they share. The exhibition will travel to the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University in 2023.
Salman Toor has also received several awards and honors for his work, such as:
- A grant from the Joan Mitchell Foundation in 2019.
- A nomination for the Future Generation Art Prize in 2021.
- A feature on the Time Magazine’s list of 100 Next Influential People in 2021.
Salman Toor’s work is included in several museum collections, such as:
- The Whitney Museum of American Art
- The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
- The Baltimore Museum of Art
- The Frick Collection
Personal Life, Husband & Kids
Salman Toor lives and works in New York City. He is openly gay and has been vocal about his sexuality and identity as a queer artist of color. He is also rumored to be married to Ali Sethi, a famous Pakistani singer, songwriter, composer, and author.
Ali Sethi was born in 1984 in Lahore, Pakistan. He is the son of journalists and politicians Najam Sethi and Jugnu Mohsin, and the brother of actress Mira Sethi. He attended Aitchison College and Harvard University, where he studied literature and history. He published his debut novel The Wish Maker in 2009, which received critical acclaim.
Ali Sethi is also a renowned singer who specializes in ghazal, folk, classical, contemporary, pop, and Sufi music. He made his film debut as a singer in Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist in 2012. He has since appeared on several seasons of Coke Studio Pakistan, where he has performed covers and original songs. His most recent single for Coke Studio, Pasoori (2022), became the first Pakistani song to feature on Spotify’s Viral 50 – Global chart, and the most watched Coke Studio music video of all time.
Ali Sethi is also an author, columnist, and cultural critic. He has written for various publications, such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Guardian. He has also given lectures and performances at various institutions, such as Carnegie Hall, Harvard University, Brown University, and the Royal Geographical Society.
Salman Toor and Ali Sethi have not officially confirmed their relationship status, but they have been spotted together on several occasions and have expressed their admiration for each other’s work on social media. They are also both friends with the acclaimed Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid, who wrote the novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist which was adapted into the film that featured Ali Sethi’s song.
Is Salman Toor Gay?
According to the web search results, Salman Toor is a gay artist who is married to Ali Sethi, a Pakistani singer, and writer. He has openly discussed his sexuality and his experiences as a queer person of color in various interviews and articles. For example, in an article by Them, he said, “The figures are imaginary versions of me and my friends, created from a mix of memory, fantasy, and art history.
These characters take on my own journey as a queer person of color.” He also revealed that he came out to his parents when he was 15, but they did not accept him at first. He has also expressed his views on queer solidarity and intimacy in his paintings, which often feature young brown men in scenes of love, friendship, and solitude.
BIO/WIKI
| Name | Salman Toor |
| Birth year | 1983 |
| Birth place | Lahore, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani-American |
| Education | Ohio Wesleyan University – BFA (2006) Pratt Institute – MFA (2009) |
| Occupation | Painter |
| Website | salmantoor.com |
| Husband | Ali Sethi (rumored) |
| salman.toor | |
| Wikipedia | Salman_Toor |
| Salmantoor | |
| Homepage | Dreshare.com |
Facts About Salman Toor
- Salman was born in 1983 in Lahore, Pakistan.
- He attended Aitchison College, a prestigious boarding school for boys.
- Toor moved to the United States in 2002 to pursue his higher education.
- Salman graduated with a BFA from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2006 and an MFA from Pratt Institute in 2009.
- He is a painter who depicts the imagined lives of young men of South Asian origin in both South Asia and New York City.
- Salman is influenced by various sources, such as old master paintings, Bollywood movies, social media, and literature.
- Salman explores themes such as the treatment of brown men, the role of technology in daily life, and the contrast between public and private spaces.
- He has exhibited his work in several solo and group shows across the world, including at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Frick Collection, and the Baltimore Museum of Art.
- Salman has received several awards and honors for his work, such as a grant from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, a nomination for the Future Generation Art Prize, and a feature on Time Magazine’s list of 100 Next Influential People.
- He lives and works in New York City.
- Salman is openly gay and has been vocal about his sexuality and identity as a queer artist of color.
- Salman is rumored to be married to Ali Sethi, a famous Pakistani singer, songwriter, composer, and author.
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