Art has been used to capture existential ennui since the first caveman drew a picture of himself failing to take down a woolly mammoth. And now L.A. based artist April Eileen Henry is using Instagram to make artistic messages of angst and dread literal. On Texts From Your Existentialist, Henry combines artsy images with clever captions that draw attention to the meaninglessness of modern existence.
The images—everything from Renaissance paintings to old Hollywood photos—are mostly of bored-looking women, and their captions are often pop culture-related. According to Henry, her work aims “to bring more messages that speak to the pity party line and the seldom spoken sadnesses of life, rather than the alienating positive messages that pervade the internet today.”
Although sharing these is really just a futile attempt to add levity to our short, bleak lives, some of our favorites are nevertheless below:
There are plenty more images on Instagram, and Henry also sells them as prints over on her website.