Late Night Gathering 2019

Salman Toor painted Late Night Gathering without a specific date, using a muted palette that feels both contemporary and a little like looking back in time. You can see the brushstrokes, how the paint is applied, almost like he's letting us in on the secret of how it's made. The surface has a tangible quality, with thin washes and thicker accents creating a sense of depth. Look at the way he renders the skin tones, they're full of color shifts and variations. The character reclining on the sofa is a stand out, a flurry of marks come together to suggest a relaxed form. Toor reminds me a little of early Philip Guston, there's something about how they both build up their compositions out of these very present, very human gestures. Ultimately, it's about how a painting can be a space for encounters, a record of a moment that’s open for multiple interpretations.