Varnita Sethi

Eve with a banana (diptych)

Acrylic on paper
“Eve with a banana showcases Eve as a gender-fluid person, who embodies a male and a female from within herself. While Adam is represented by the tiny bird which depicts someone who conforms to the norms of the society, looking at Eve with wonder and curiosity.
The use of the banana to depict the phallus and the presence of breasts on the body is my attempt to challenge the notion of the acceptable physical description of the human body and its categorization.
The raven mask is a representation of her attempt to hide her true self, only to convince Adam that she is “normal”, just like him. However, the bright yellow erect banana and the long free-flowing hair represent her slowly breaking free and coming out to the world. The series represents Eve as a fierce being owning her sexuality and loving her true form.