Zohran Mamdani’s 2007 Portrait By Salman Toor Goes Public

If you are following American politics, you must be aware of Zohran Mamdani—an American politician with South Asian heritage and a New York mayoral candidate.

He is in the news again, but this time it is not for political reasons. In fact, this time, the focus is on him because of a painting.

Yes. A painting.

A renowned Pakistani American painter, Salman Toor, had painted Mamdani’s portrait in 2007, and it was posted on Instagram by Amitav Ghosh.

Painting Of A 16-Year-Old Mamdani Takes Everyone By Surprise

Ghosh is a friend of Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, a filmmaker by profession. 

The painting was completed when Mamdani was just 16 years old, and Toor presented him on the canvas with tousled hair and a soft, contemplative expression.

Originally, the painting was meant for a family portrait commissioned by Mira Nair.

Ghosh says in an Instagram post that he has “known Zohran since he was a little boy.”

He added that it is great “to see this kind, considerate, and caring young man growing into a really effective politician.”

When asked about the painting, Toor says that in 2007, the portrait was a “sketch of intention.”

“Looking at it now, years later, I see more than I intended—or perhaps less,” he added.

In the eyes of teenage Zohran, “there’s a sense of inevitability, of destiny,” Toor concluded.

Salman Toor was pursuing an MFA at Pratt Institute when he painted Mamdani.

What Are Mamdani And Toor Doing 18 Years Later?

Toor is now a globally famous artist, and his paintings depict queer urban life in New York and South Asia.

He has also hosted solo exhibitions at places such as the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Toor is currently portraying Wish Maker, a solo show that features fresh work and delves into diasporic and queer identity.

Meanwhile, Mamdani, now 33 years old, is a Queens-based New York State Assemblyman.

Recently, he gained a surprising win over former governor Andrew Cuomo and became the primary mayoral candidate from the Democratic Party.

His campaign was based on housing justice and economic equity as the city grapples with an affordability crisis.

Also Read: NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Trolls His Critics: ‘Told Me To Go Back To Uganda–So I Did’