The Reader 2018

Salman Toor made this painting, The Reader, with what looks like oil on board. It’s very painterly, isn't it? You can really see the way the marks build up, hatched together almost like a drawing. I’m struck by the way Toor handles colour, how he uses a limited palette of browns and greys, then throws in this little lamp with a pink shade! It’s such a sweet, kind of awkward contrast. The greys and browns create a sense of intimacy, of a private moment, and then BAM, this little touch of pink to wake you up. Look at how he renders the sheets, those rapid strokes of white and grey paint. It’s gestural but also descriptive, a bit like Manet, who also had this way of capturing a scene with just a few confident strokes. I think both artists see painting as an ongoing conversation, and each artwork is their contribution.