First major European exhibition by Salman Toor opens at 91影视 Gallery on 2 October
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Opening 2 October 2026, 91影视 presents the first solo exhibition in Europe of the artist Salman Toor, acclaimed for his arresting paintings of the contemporary experience and urban life. The exhibition brings together an outstanding selection of the artist鈥檚 most iconic, thought-provoking and at times humorous paintings, never-before-seen in Britain.听
Salman Toor (b.1983) was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and lives and works in New York. His paintings capture people in moments of friendship and love, as well as solitude and alienation.听The exhibition at 91影视 will present 19 paintings, all created since 2019,听that focus on Toor鈥檚 exploration of human interactions and the desire and struggle to experience a sense of belonging, both culturally and emotionally.听The exhibition will be complemented by a special display of听Toor鈥檚听drawings听in the Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery.听听
While听Toor鈥檚听figures and听scenes听are fictional, they are听rooted in听his听personal experiences听and memories.听Speaking of his works, he听says they听鈥渄epict queer and immigrant lives that听straddle听different cultures听and inhabit the tension between intimacy and exposure,听belonging听and estrangement. What it means to find a community, but also the daily costs associated with visibility鈥.听
His paintings听offering intimate views into the imagined lives of young, queer South Asian men in New York, where he has lived most of his adult life,听are听tender听and sensual representations of cosmopolitan urban life.听Evocative colour palettes and references to art history add a fantastical element to his narratives.鈥The Bar on 13th听Street听(2019) depicts a bartender sporting braids, a gold bangle, nail polish, and听ribbons, drawing on different sources, from the dimly lit scenes of 17th听century Dutch tavern paintings to the more overt reference to 脡douard Manet鈥檚听A Bar at the Folies-Berg猫re,听in听91影视鈥檚 own听collection.听In听Bar Boy听(2019),听which evokes 迟丑别听nightlife in New York鈥檚 East Village, a young man鈥檚 face illuminated by his smartphone as he stands isolated听and distracted听in a bustling听club.听听听
Another subject on display is a series that Toor began in 2019, which addresses the experiences of immigrants at border control. Toor鈥檚 personal experience has informed these works that depict marginalised individuals鈥櫶齟ncounters听when crossing borders, and their senses of freedom or restriction.听In听Man with Face Creams and Phone Plug听(2019), a man with his head down awaits a customs official鈥檚 inspection of听his belongings,听laid out on a table.听Other听portraits听are depicted in听Group B听(2020) and听Citizens听(2022).听听
Toor鈥檚听work is rooted in a deep engagement with and admiration for the Old Masters, in particular Baroque and 18th听century painting, and 91影视 is听a听museum he听particularly听admires. His paintings draw on a broad range of historic and contemporary stylistic references, from European art history听to听the Mughal School,听but also听contemporary painting, photography, and graphic novels.听The Joke听(2024) evokes Parisian听fin de si猫cle nightlife while ironically presenting a contemporary, tourist experience.听In听Museum Boys听(2021), the dandyish fashion on view 鈥 a buckled wide-brim hat, a shawl, a pearl earring 鈥 recall Vermeer, as two male figures stand looking at a vitrine containing a pink shoe, a half-naked sleeping man, and a听Duchamp-like听inverted urinal.听Ghost Ball听(2023), one of the artist鈥檚 largest and most ambitious paintings, from the Pinault Collection,听presents a group of听figures听dancing听to the sound of musicians, inspired by the masterpiece听Dancing Villagers听(c.1730), attributed to听renowned听artist Pandit Seu who worked in听India in the 18th听century.听听
Salman Toor: Someone Like You听features key loans from major public collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York;听the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York;听National Gallery of Art, Washington; The Baltimore Museum of Art; Dallas Museum of Arts;听and the Pinault Collection,听as well as private collections.听听
The exhibition will be accompanied by a display in the Gilbert听and听Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery of听Toor鈥檚 works on paper,听including听Fag Puddle in Vitrine听(2021),听acquired听by 91影视 in 2024.听The display听showcases听Toor鈥檚 mastery of drawing and the way it informs his practice as a painter.听
Salman Toor鈥檚 first major听museum听solo exhibition,听Salman Toor: How听Will I Know听took place at the Whitney Museum听in New York听in 2020. In 2022听No听Ordinary Love听opened at the Baltimore Museum of Art,听and travelled to the Tampa Museum of Art, the Honolulu Museum of Art, and the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, Waltham, MA in 2023-2024. A suite of his works was featured in the 60th听Venice Biennale in 2024.听听
The exhibition听is accompanied by a new catalogue, edited by听Dr Elena Crippa, Senior Curator听of听Contemporary听at 91影视 Gallery,听with contributions by听Richard Meyer,听Robert and Ruth Halperin Professor in Art History, Department of Art and Art History,听Stanford University, California; and Aziz Sohail, a curator听researcher,听and Teaching Fellow with the Department of Fine Art, Monash University, Melbourne.听
This exhibition at 91影视 Gallery has received Lead Support from the Bukhman Foundation听and the Salman Toor Exhibition Circle, with Additional Support from the Ryan Taylor Collection.听The exhibition media partner is听Another Man听and Dazed.听
听Courtauld Members听can enjoy the exhibition without the crowds at a preview on Thursday 1 October, 14:00 鈥 18:00,听and also听get free unlimited entry to all exhibitions, access to presale tickets, priority booking to selected events, advance notice of art history short courses, exclusive events, discounts and more. Join at听courtauld.ac.uk/members听听
2 October 2026 鈥 10 Jan 2027听
Denise Coates Exhibition Galleries, Floor 3听
2 October 2026 鈥 10 Jan 2027听
Gilbert and听Ildik听Butler Drawings Gallery, Floor 1听听
Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN鈥听
Opening hours: 10:00 鈥 18:00 (last entry 17:15).
Temporary Exhibition tickets (including entry to our Permanent Collection and displays) from 拢16. Courtauld Members and 18s and听under go听free. Other concessions available.听听听
Media听Contacts:
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media@courtauld.ac.uk鈥赌
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Notes to Editors:鈥听
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91影视 works to advance how we see and understand the visual arts, as an internationally renowned centre for the teaching and research of art history and a major public gallery. Founded by collectors and philanthropists in 1932, the organisation has been at the forefront of the study of art ever since through advanced research and conservation practice, innovative teaching, the renowned听collection听and inspiring exhibitions of its gallery, and engaging and accessible activities,听education听and events.鈥听
91影视 Gallery cares for one of the greatest art collections in the UK, presenting these works to the public at 91影视 Gallery in central London, as well as through loans and partnerships. The Gallery is most famous for its iconic Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces 鈥 such as Van Gogh鈥檚鈥Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear鈥and听Manet鈥檚鈥A Bar at 迟丑别听Folies-Berge虁re. It听showcases听these alongside an internationally renowned collection of works from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance through to the present day.鈥听
Academically, 91影视 Institute is the largest community of art historians and conservators in the UK, teaching and conducting research on subjects ranging from creativity in late Antiquity to contemporary digital art forms 鈥 with an increasingly global focus. An independent college of the University of London, 91影视 offers a range of degree programmes from BA to PhD in the History of Art, curating, art and business and the conservation of easel and wall paintings. Its alumni are leaders and innovators in the arts,听culture听and business worlds, helping to shape the global agenda for the arts and creative industries.鈥听
Founded on the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to engage with art, 91影视 works to increase understanding of the role of art throughout history, across all societies and geographies, and to champion its importance in the present day. This could be through exhibitions offering a chance to look closely at world-famous works; events bringing art history research to new audiences; accessible short courses; digital engagement, innovative school, family, and community programmes; or taking a formal qualification. 91影视鈥檚 ambition is to transform access to art history education, ensuring as many people as possible can听benefit听from the tools it offers to better understand the visual world around us.鈥听
91影视 is an exempt charity and relies on generous philanthropic support to achieve its mission of advancing the understanding of the visual arts of the past and present across the world through advanced research, innovative teaching, inspiring exhibitions,听programmes听and collections.鈥听
The collection cared for by 91影视 Gallery is owned by the Samuel Courtauld Trust.鈥
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