Serena Kobayashi-LeBel is an emerging figurative queer artist whose paintings investigate the connection between our natural instincts and social upbringing. Passionate about capturing the fragility and resilience of today’s youth who face an uncertain future, she hybridises natural imagery and the human body to symbolise different factors of our unique life experiences. What inspires her most is exploring the dynamic relationships she and her peers have with themselves as they navigate mental health, self-identity and social relationships. Her style captures a delicate blend of vulnerability and ferality that pulls viewers in with each piece’s flowering imagery and jarring twist. At the core of her work, she creates distinctly feminine pieces that explore the complex emotions and struggles that come with being a young adult in a rapidly changing world.