Finnish illustrator Riikka Sormunen creates strangely erotic images of women in their natural habitat, often reading, lying in bed or eating. The artist uses natural, warm colour palette and an eye for fashion when creating complex scenes with a strong narrative.
However, what’s unusual about her illustrations is, that all the characters look sad and tortured, as they were trapped in someone else’s body, or life, desperately trying to escape it. Many of them are portrayed naked and look like they are on the edge of giving into their sexual desires, while some of them just seem to be bored of their daily life.
Sormunen’s work, which is clearly inspired by modern feminism conveys a hidden social message which not everyone can understand.
