Cynthia Fleischmann is a Swiss-American activist artist whose practice bridges the realms of body, nature, and visual storytelling. Living between Miami, Florida; Zurich, Switzerland; and Cape Town, South Africa, Fleischmann uses her global perspective to advocate for deeper connections between humanity and the environment.

Her signature artform, Bodypaintography, combines bodypainting on nude individuals with photography, seamlessly blending human figures into natural landscapes. Inspired by the camouflage techniques of animals and Indigenous tribes, Fleischmann uses nudity, pigments, and symbolism to explore themes of unity, vulnerability, and environmental belonging. At the heart of her work is the recurring motif of red hands—a universal symbol for humanity, tracing back to ancient red handprints left on cave walls. Through this imagery, she emphasizes that no matter where we come from, we are all interconnected. All human blood is red, and Fleischmann calls on each of us to use our “powerful red hands” to choose love over hate.

In addition to her studio practice, Fleischmann organizes participatory naked art happenings such as Ashes to Ashes; Dust to Dust and Human Harmony Strand events, where collective action becomes a living artwork advocating for human and environmental harmony. Symbolism plays a central role in her activism; she created the nature-inspired Harmony Strand symbol to promote the message “Harmony over Harm,” and the Humanity for Harmony symbol, which unites the red hand with the harmony strand, calling for a shared global commitment to compassion, peace, and sustainability.

Fleischmann envisions these symbols becoming internationally recognized, ultimately displayed in drone light shows around the world as a visual and moral agreement to use our technological advancements for healing rather than destruction. Her work reminds us that the power to shape the future—for good or ill—is literally in our hands. Learn more here.