This painting is a statement on the standards that women in Asia are held to and on the oppression of women in South Asia. The woman in this piece shows her strength by sitting up tall and looking straight at the audience in a confident demeanor. She is taking back the power that society tries to take away from her. She possesses a dark complexion to emphasize colorism in Bangladesh, as darker women in Bangladesh are viewed as less attractive and less powerful. She wears a red saree because that is the bridal color in Bangladesh. By wearing this color in a revealing way she is rebelling against the idea of marriage, where a woman is expected to surrender her rights. She is holding a teacup as well, a symbol for the stereotype in which a woman’s job is to serve the man. Gold is also a symbol of power in South Asia and is always used to accessorize so she is adorned in gold jewelry. I thought it was important to include the gold in the throne as well as her jewelry, since ornate gold jewelry is traditionally put on the bride. I made the ground a deep green to tie in with the red saree, making the national colors of Bangladesh.
