Pakistani-American artist Salman Toor has been named among the 100 people shaping the future of the global art world in TIME magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Art 2026 list.
Born in Lahore and now based in New York, Toor has gained international recognition for paintings that explore solitude, identity and belonging. His work frequently portrays young South Asian and queer men navigating moments of connection and isolation across domestic and public spaces.
Toor, 42, has been included in the Icons category of TIME’s first dedicated art list, which brings together artists and influential figures from across the international art world, including painters, photographers, sculptors, curators, gallerists and collectors.
The recognition adds to a series of major milestones in Toor’s career. He rose to wider prominence following his 2020 solo exhibition How Will I Know at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art. His work has since been exhibited at prominent institutions and international art events, including the 2024 Venice Biennale.
His 2022 exhibition No Ordinary Love, organised by the Baltimore Museum of Art, subsequently travelled to museums in Tampa, Honolulu and Massachusetts, further expanding the international reach of his work. Toor’s paintings have also attracted considerable attention in the international art market, with some of his works selling for more than $1 million at auction.
The TIME100 Art recognition comes shortly before another significant milestone for the artist. His first solo European exhibition, Salman Toor: Someone Like You, is scheduled to open at London’s Courtauld Gallery on October 2. The exhibition will feature 19 paintings produced since 2019 and will examine themes of relationships, identity and cultural belonging. His inclusion in TIME100 Art 2026 further establishes Toor as a prominent Pakistani-born voice in contemporary international art.