Tokyo-based artist Hikaru Cho, who we introduced to you here, has created a striking series of hyperrealistic body paintings called My Body My Rights. Released right before International Woman’s Day as a part of the human right organization Amnesty International’s campaign on sexual and reproductive rights, the series depicts real people with eerily realistic illustrations painted on their skin. Using just paint and a paintbrush, the artist somehow manages to create amazing body paintings that trick the eye and replace normal body parts with evocative imagery.
In the series, a woman has a brittle face cracked from violence. A wrist opens up to show a sleeve of contraceptive pills. A woman holds the key to her own body. One face becomes two men kissing each other. Through these images, Cho hopes to raise awareness for issues like sexual exploitation and reproductive health. “You have the right to choose who you love, who you have sex with and what kind of family you want to create, decide if and when to have children, to learn about sex and relationships, have access to healthcare, and to live free from rape and sexual violence. I hope my art can help young people across the world start a conversation about those rights,” she says.
To see time-lapse videos of these terrific paintings being created, check out Amnesty International.
