Leena Mertanen (b. 1986, Finland) is a self-taught fine art photographer who examines various aspects of humanity, culture and femininity in her distinctive, often staged self-portraits. She uses herself as a model in her absurd, dark, humorist, emotional works making personal universal, combining often unexpected elements and purist technical know-how to various different ways of thematic approach to modern photography. Drawing inspiration from all kinds of cultural history including fashion, music, films and literature, her style is filled with pop cultural references and intellectual psychological analysis on the human condition.