Rubeen Salem

Rubeen Salem (b. 1997, San Francisco, CA) is an artist living and working in New York City. Through a raw, expressive approach to painting, Salem explores themes of transformation, emotion, and the unseen forces that shape human experience. His work blends abstraction with figuration, often layering vibrant color, bold gestures, and dreamlike symbolism to evoke a sense of movement, energy, and impermanence. Deeply intuitive, his practice is rooted in a dialogue with the subconscious, where personal and collective narratives intersect.

Salem’s paintings, comics, and airbrushed works have been exhibited in both gallery and underground art spaces, with projects that extend into public interventions, live painting events, and immersive installations. His work has been showcased in solo and group exhibitions, including As Good As It Gets (2024) at All Street Gallery, and he continues to expand his practice through open studio experiences, independent publishing, and experimental collaborations.