Lynn Paula Russell is an artist who is probably better known publically for her fetishistic related art. She has illustrated many books and magazines and has also produced strip cartoons.
Her popular images tend to be realistic- mainly illustrated in simple black, white, and grey- the figures do not seem too over exaggerated.
However, the gift for exaggeration and fantasy is another of Russell’s talents that is perhaps not as well known. She calls her erotic fantasy explorations ‘bodyscapes’ which is an apt title to describe them when one looks at them. Using soft colors, she has taken the form of the body and merged it with landscape creating quirky and fantastical images. Some of her creative otherworldly impulses find their way into her more popular work, but it is in the bodyscapes where she gives her imagination free reign.
Often when considering aspects of the body, we look at unusual ways in which a body can be placed or engaged. It is less common, though no less interesting to envision the body transformed into something else. I find these sorts of optical illusions appealing- there is something playful and clever and engaging about them. Russell says that these explorations represent more of her ‘personal’ work and interests. I can only hope that she pursues it further in the future- I’d love to see what else she can imagine!
Article by Kayla
