Picture this: you’re lounging in your living room, browsing through artworks from India’s remote corners. With a simple tap on your phone, a centuries-old Pichwai painting or a delicate Warli creation is projected onto your wall, perfectly placed as if it’s already hanging there. This immersive experience is made possible by MeMeraki, a culture-tech platform. With its “View in Your Room” feature, the platform is transforming how one experiences and purchases art.
Yosha Gupta, 42, founder of MeMeraki, explains, “Many clients struggled to envision how ‘traditional art’ would fit into their contemporary home settings. To address this, we initially offered personalised mockups based on photos of their homes. This approach often swayed their decision, revealing a need for a more accessible solution. Inspired by the fashion industry’s “try before you buy” model, we decided to formalise this concept.”
On their website—memeraki.com—each artwork listing includes a ‘View in Your Room’ button. Clicking this activates the AR camera, allowing users to point their phone at a wall to see how the artwork would look in their space. This streamlined visualisation process helps users assess the artwork’s aesthetic fit, determine the appropriate size and framing, and see how the colours interact with their environment. “The website is developing a new feature that lets users visualise different framing options for artworks,” Gupta shares.
Uttam Chitrakar, 34, from West Bengal, has been creating Kalighat paintings for MeMeraki for nearly four years. “Before this, I only had the opportunity to showcase my work at government-funded melas, which happened infrequently in Kolkata. When Gupta reached out to me, things started to change. I began receiving consistent orders, and now, I exclusively work for MeMeraki, which has significantly improved my income,” says Chitrakar.
MeMeraki currently works with around 200 artisans, creating a sustainable livelihood for artists across India. Priti Karn, a 45-year-old Madhubani artist from Bihar, has been associated with the platform since 2020.
“Partnering with MeMeraki has opened doors I hadn’t imagined—through the power of technology, my art has reached a global audience, and I now have the opportunity to share this craft through workshops. It’s empowering to teach others and ensure that this ancient tradition continues to thrive in new and innovative ways,” she says.
With over 3,000 traditional crafts in India, how does MeMeraki decide which to feature on its platform? “We began with a list of 3,000 crafts and narrowed it down based on what would work for online teaching,” Gupta explains. “We focused on art forms that lend themselves to live workshops and masterclasses, though we’re now expanding to include handlooms and framed textile art.”