Renata Fernandez’s background as a journalist deeply informs her artistic practice, driving her to examine and highlight the sociopolitical dimensions embedded in the found imagery she incorporates. Her work critically reflects on how individuals define and interpret the world through the ever-evolving landscape of digital media, particularly the growing influence of self-publishing in shaping what is seen and shared.

Her ongoing series draws from an archive of appropriated imagery collected from social media—a project that began during the pandemic. Initially, Fernandez created small, warm-up ink drawings, each measuring 13 x 13 cm. These works evolved into the ongoing series My Social Media Feed on Ink. The first 100 drawings were exhibited in Cartography of Care at Spilt Milk Gallery, Edinburgh, in 2022. Today, the collection has grown to nearly 200 pieces, forming a deeply personal yet universal commentary on the algorithm-driven curation of online feeds. Functioning as a kind of self-portrait, the series captures everything from intimate family moments and artist friends’ works to snapshots of holidays, homes, gardens, news events, war, and even advertisements for consumer goods.

Expanding on these themes, Fernandez’s larger ink drawings adopt a more painterly approach while remaining rooted in the imagery of her social media feed. These works push her material exploration further by transitioning into physical, enduring objects. Created on acid-free Foamex or paper mounted on calico, they are presented as banners or cut-out forms that emphasize their tangible presence, starkly contrasting with their ephemeral digital origins. These larger pieces embody the duality of our mediated experiences—fleeting yet impactful, personal yet global.