You guys might’ve noticed something out of the ordinary on your commute to and from work everyday. Or at least, we have. Among the clutter of Outdoor advertising (read: Billboards) something really funky caught our eye and we have been looking for the person behind it ever since. Thankfully our internet stalker prowess led us to the answer.
Saavn, the Indian music and entertainment streaming giant recently came up with a bunch of Billboards with pop art that had a very Indian twist and it prompted us to launch a search for the artist. Presenting HateCopy aka Maria Qamar, a young, new-age Insta-famous Canadian influencer, who has brought her style of desi-cool, bold messaging to young audiences across the USA & Canada. Her art embodies the Indian experience both at home and in the west as she has works to tackle modern and aged themes including cultural appropriation, depicting the times we live in. Her work has featured in The Mindy Project, and been covered by International media houses, including Vice, BuzzFeed and Toronto Star. Bonus points for being really funny and relate-able too. About the collaboration, she said,
I am excited to share my work with the world, as always. I hope that it inspires and creates a conversation in your home as it has for mine. I hope that young girls and women like myself can find comfort in knowing that we are not alone in the fight for equality – especially in the arts.
Take a look at the ones she did for Saavn.
Playlists are of utmost importance
Because sometimes it’s no competition
And here are some others:
Dating Desis 101
Only Indians Please
Reminder: Never Mess With A Desi Girl
No Lies
And Finally, Food Is Bae
LOL-ing hard.
For the complete interview with the artist click here.