Salman Toor's Green Nights at Stedelijk Museum

Salman Toor, an American artist of Pakistani origin, is known for his nocturnal paintings bathed in green hues, depicting queer South Asian and diasporic figures in intimate, often bourgeois settings. His solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in 2020/2021 coincided with the pandemic, and his works gained online popularity for their comforting, inclusive atmosphere. Two of his paintings, 'Late Night' (2024) and 'Waiting' (2024), are currently on view at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam as part of the group exhibition 'Beyond the Manosphere – Masculinities Today' (through August 2, 2026). 'Late Night' shows a naked masturbating man in a room with neon-green-lit windows, while 'Waiting' depicts five people, two under a blanket on a couch. Toor's work blends European Renaissance and early modern painting traditions with Mughal miniature influences, featuring brown queer subjects in control of their narratives. The article also reflects on the desire to inhabit fictional worlds, comparing Toor's paintings to the novel 'Call Me by Your Name' by André Aciman.