News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

This article was first published 5 years ago
Rediff.com  » Getahead » An Insta account's tongue-in-cheek ode to Raja Ravi Varma

An Insta account's tongue-in-cheek ode to Raja Ravi Varma

By Rediff Get Ahead
May 25, 2018 09:40 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

From Tinder to Alexa, the artist reimagines the legendary painter's muses in modern Indian scenarios.

It all started as an art project for Sowmya.

While the world continues to marvel at the beautiful women in Raja Ravi Varma's paintings, Sowmya reimagined them as modern Indian women.

The Instagram account 'Raja Ravi Varma Memes' with interesting puns is slowly, but surely winning the internet today.

The inspiration

According to Sowmya, Raja Ravi Varma's portrayal of Indian women as 'delicate doll-like objects staring coyly at the audience is not the most honest depiction of Indian women at any point of time in the history of the subcontinent.'

'I have taken some of Varma’s popular works and made memes out of them,' Sowmya writes on her social media.

'These memes echo the sense of a real, thinking human being who is confident about herself and the world she is surrounded by. The woman who is the object of the memes is current, relevant and aware. She knows herself well and is not afraid to be who she is.'

Take a look at these memes from her account:

Raja Ravi verma memes as imagined by Sowmya

The crisis with women who believe in 'must shop. can't stop.' 

Photographs: Kind courtesy Sowmya/Raja Ravi Verma Memes/Instagram

Raja Ravi verma memes as imagined by Sowmya

Tinder lessons from your bestie.

Raja Ravi verma memes as imagined by Sowmya

The must-add hashtags.

Raja Ravi verma memes as imagined by Sowmya

The challenge of ordering stuff online.

Raja Ravi verma memes as imagined by Sowmya

So relateable!

Raja Ravi verma memes as imagined by Sowmya

Ocassional political mumbo-jumbo!

Raja Ravi verma memes as imagined by Sowmya

Indian-English is not standard.

Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Rediff Get Ahead