Artist Spotlight #2: Ienna Fernandez
NY-based visual artist aims to use bold, espressive colors to make social justice work more appealing and accessible, while rejecting the muted hues of Western minimalist art.
Ienna Fernandez is a Filipina-born, California-bred, and New York-based community organizer, visual designer, and lettering artist.
She is better known online under the name “Decolonial Bulakak,” with “bulaklak” as the Tagalog word for flower.
She graduated law school in 2019, with backgrounds in immigration law, human rights advocacy, and political and social movement campaigns, where she worked primarily with low income Black and brown communities, and, specifically, women survivors of domestic violence. Art, however, is something she always pursued on the side. As a self-taught artist, she has expressed herself through drawings, lettering, and graphic design since she was six years old.
Her Instagram posts started to gain traction around May 2020, where she has dedicated her page to dismantling issues regarding colonization, imperialism, and capitalism.
Pixelated Revolution: How would you describe your work and your aim as an artist?
Ienna: When I think about Filipino history, and specifically how revolutionaries have defended themselves against the colonizers in protecting our culture and our people, is so important to my approach to work. And I think also in California, it's super diverse. I grew up around almost exclusively other people of color, like Black and Latinx folks, as well as other Filipinos. I grew up knowing the history of activism in Los Angeles. And then I went to school in San Francisco.
So when I think about art and how I approach it, it's understanding that art doesn't just exist as something that looks pretty. It can also inspire people to do something about injustice, or even highlight experiences that are always excluded from a lot of art. I hope that my art focuses on marginalized folks and honoring their experiences to give them a space where they're not usually seen, and also speak about my experience as a Filipina and as an immigrant.
Which issues in the world today do you care the most about? Is there a specific part of history, or a kind of narrative that has inspired you to start this kind of activist-driven work?
When I think about what really drives me and what has really inspired my work is really Black radical tradition and also Third World liberation.
Even when I was younger, I loved the civil rights movement. I was like, that's dope. That's amazing. That's so cool. They're like don't fuck with my people because I'll fight back, which I always really admired.
And I guess the narrative that I really like to focus on is how we have to mobilize masses of people. It's important that whatever changes we make come from people on the ground, from the people who are most impacted, which I think has always been shared by the Black Panthers, by Malcolm X, and even MLK. And a lot of MLK is very white-washed, watered down. And I also feel like when I read Black radical tradition, it also makes me think about Gabriela Silang, and so many Filipino revolutionaries, like the Katipunan. I really like to focus on radical tradition and how we need to take power back, and we can't just be polite. And we can't rely on institutions. Sometimes we have to dismantle things.
What drove you to start using Instagram for your creative and artistic work?
So that actually kind of was kind of an accident. I started that specific account as a practice place. And I didn't really tell even my friends about it. I started it in September of last year. Wow, almost a year ago.
I started it a year ago just because I wanted a place where I could practice my design work. And I chose Instagram because you can post things, and there's also the explore feed where you can see other design work. So I really just wanted it to be a space where I follow designers I like, and I'm going to practice my own things. So there wasn't really a real purpose for it. I had less than a hundred followers in March, and then all of a sudden, boom.
Going off of that, of starting as an accident and then it becoming big, what specific quality does Instagram bring to the table for artists like you?
One of the things I think of off the bat is that it's free. I just started my website out of the donations I got from folks on my Instagram. Part of the reason why I think I chose Instagram as a platform is because it was free and I didn't have to pay for a website. And also you can find communities of artists on Instagram, so I had the pleasure of connecting with other Black and brown artists. Also, just meeting people who also do art that is social justice-focused and connecting with that. Because I feel like I've also seen a lot of cool designers who have already been doing this work even before Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. I feel like the shareability too. Part of the reason my account blew up is that people shared my shit.
Do you have any favorite social justice-driven artists on Instagram that you'd like to share?
Yeah. Oh my gosh. I feel like I have to look at my phone, but off the top of my head, I love @GFx prints. @elwingbling is also really cool. She's a Vietnamese-American artist based in LA, and she also has really cool, specifically decolonial art.
Do you have any specific artistic inspirations that help you inspire and shape your work?
Oh man, that's so hard because I feel like I'm of the belief that none of my art is actually very unique. Like I take inspiration even when I'm not conscious of it. But I think when I choose colors specifically, I think very much of the jeepneys in the Philippines, and they're like super, super bright. They catch attention, they're neon, or they're really bright. And the colors aren't tonal. They're not going to stick with one color scheme. So I feel like I really liked that because I love jeepney artwork design. It's really cool. And also, I kind of see it as like a little punch at Western minimalism where it's like, we use white, and cream, and black, and gray. And it's like, well, fuck that. So that's at least what my purpose is with thinking about the color scheme.
And then with the fonts that I choose, I really try to choose accessibility for that, and make sure it's easily legible because I do want it to look pretty. And there are other fonts that I actually really do like, and look flashy, but I'm also like, well, what's the point if people can't read it. So balancing both anti-Western art with I want people to be able to understand it.
How would you describe the aesthetic of your art pieces?
I feel like revolutionary art are things that catch your eye, but are easily understood by the masses. I feel like a lot of the art world, especially if you walk into a museum, it's not exactly accessible. You can look at a painting and be like, what is it? What does this mean?
To describe my aesthetic, my hope is that it is just accessible, and that at least the eye-catching part of it is just what draws people in. But I don't want that to be the meat of my art.
What impression or impact do you hope your work leaves its audience?
My real hope when people look at my page is that it encourages people to learn more about narratives that they're not familiar with, and to think about how caring about people is cool and important.
And also, that there are ways to learn, and resources are available. I know that in social justice, there's a lot to learn. And it's a lifelong ongoing process, and it is hard. But you can do it.
There are ways to learn about race, and capitalism, and colonization. I just hope that it at least makes it more accessible, or at least it encourages people to think more about social justice.
Do you have any favorite posts that you've made?
I think I have two favorites. One of them was one I made around May Day, and it was about May Day and International Workers’ Day. And it was like a series, I did three of them to be circulated, in hopes that would be circulated around that time. I'm really proud of it because I feel like I did a good amount of the research. It generally seemed like folks were engaged with it and learned from it too, because I also learned from researching for it.
And then my second favorite post is the first of my neon color, San Serif fonts style that has become my thing now. My first series of that was just simple, questions like, do you listen to Black folks and do you listen to their narratives? I liked that because that was where I really found that this is a style I really like and want to stick to.
What feedback have you received for your work?
Every kind of meaty post that I have, like academic theory or some kind of history, I try to post the articles that I read in order to make those posts, so that people can fully understand the context of my work. And also, as citation. Even myself included, you shouldn't trust me unless I have my citations. And generally, I've also gotten good feedback from that where people have actually been reading the sources, which is also the goal like, yo, I'm your springboard, go research more.
What do you think your responsibility is as a digital artist in the age of social media?
That is a very good question. And I feel like that's something I grapple with every day. I think that great artists, and revolutionary artists specifically, understand that art doesn't just exist in a vacuum. That art isn't just what you put on your wall or in a museum. It can catch people's eyes to perspectives they might not see before.
And I think about one of my all-time favorite artists, Faith Ringgold. She was a black revolutionary, and a lot of her artwork actually started because she made protest posters, and made posters for the Black Panthers, and she continued to do textile artwork and paintings. And as we live in an increasingly digital world and we're on Instagram, especially in the pandemic, we are always on our phones if we need to connect to people. Especially when I think about what's going on politically right now, artists have a lot of power to drive the conversation and to fill up social media feeds of like, I'm not gonna let you forget that Black lives matter. I'm not gonna let you forget that indigenous land should be returned.
I think a duty for artists who understand the impact of what their art can look like, especially when you have people who care about your art and care about your work, you get to control the narrative, and be like, this is what I care about, and I think you should care about this too.
How do you foresee the relationship of social media, activism, and art evolve in the future?
That's also a really good question. I was talking with a friend about what the implications of social justice discussions on social media looks like, and what it could be. I do fear a lot of performance, and also trendiness. On one hand, I'm super stoked that people are like abolish the cops. In like a month, all of a sudden folks are actually talking about how we need to get rid of the police, which people have been organizing around that for years. And all of a sudden in one month people are actually on board.
But also, it's a tragedy that because Jacob Blake was shot seven times that people are talking about Black lives matter again. Even last week, this return to normalcy that I saw, I was like, oh man, I don't want to see that. And with that said, I still think it's worth continuing, especially digital artists and digital organizers to keep pushing this change of what social media is and what it can look like, because it can share information. It can control the narratives away from normal white supremacist-kind-of-world-capitalism.
And also, it's free. Social media is free. I think that is the biggest thing is that we all need to be on it. Even off the digital sphere, people can perform their activism, even if they're on the ground. And sometimes it's accepting that performance will always happen, but always trying to encourage people it's worth the work anyway, because we can get more people to actually be in it genuinely.
Do you have any ongoing or upcoming projects that you'd like to just share with us?
Actually, one of the organizations that I worked with that I really care about is Anakbayan, and I'm the co-chair of Anakbayan Queens. So that's actually primarily where my work is focused. I post a lot on Instagram, but most of my organizing work isn't actually in the art, it's actually Anakbayan Queens. So we're an organization that tries to organize Filipino youth. We're the overseas chapter because the origin of the organization is rooted in the Philippines, and we're here to connect with folks in the diaspora and continue connecting and fighting for folks in the Homeland. We've been focusing on how to support J-1 visa workers, and other migrant folks, migrant students, migrant workers who are here and aren't getting support from either the U.S. government or the Philippine government during the pandemic.
Do you do have any additional social justice or activist-driven resources, events, or initiatives we should know about?
Another one that I have been part of for awhile every Friday, and this is for folks who are specifically in New York and New Jersey. Every Friday I also organize with the New York City DSA immigrant justice working group. And since March or April, we've been calling local officials and institutions to call for the release of detained immigrants and incarcerated folks during the pandemic. Because they are impacted by COVID, there's no way to social distance, or have safe practices while you're in prison. So those have been going on every Friday.
We've had some awesome success. We were able to essentially end the lease for one of the detention centers. In one of the buildings and houses, the detention center is like, we're going to stop the lease. Fine. You called us too many times, which is super dope.
Any parting thoughts, anything you think I missed that you think is important to share?
I think one thing that gives me hope during this political upheaval, like white supremacists upheaval, and political turmoil right now, is that I'm seeing folks really mobilize in different ways. Even like you doing this newsletter, like this is awesome, and just seeing other artists on Instagram really grow and thrive because people are actually listening.
So, you know, just seeing this. Seeing the discussions happen. It gives me hope.
To support Ienna’s art, you can follow her on Instagram, check out her website, or subscribe to her Patreon to receive exclusive content of her work. You can also donate directly to her Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App.
To support Ienna’s community work, here is more information about Anakbayan New York and NYC DSA Immigrant Justice Working Group:
Anakbayan New York (Queens & Manhattan Chapters)
Website: http://www.anakbayannewyork.org
“Established on the 30th of November 1998–the anniversary of Andres’ Bonifacio and pre-Martial Law organization, Kabataang Makabayan–it seeks to unite the youths from different sectors of society to advance the cause of national democracy: workers, peasants, fisherfolk, urban poor, students, out-of-school youth, women, professionals, migrants, Moros, Christians, etc.
Anakbayan holds the belief that Philippine society today is not truly free nor democratic. It is under the control of U.S imperialism, along with local landlords, big capitalists, and corrupt gov’t officials. The National Democratic Struggle seeks to realize true national liberation for the country and the realization of the democratic rights of the people.”
Weekly #FreeThemAll Phone Zap
Host Contact Info: immigrant.justice@socialists.nyc
Collaboration with NYC DSA Immigrant Justice Working Group and #FreeThemAll2020
“Our phone zaps are working; we’re successfully getting a real estate developer to cut its lease with the private prison company that runs the Elizabeth Detention Center.
But too many of our political leaders are still failing to step up, even as a New Jersey jail is being investigated for abusing an immigrant detained there by ICE; as Black Lives Matter protestors facing criminal charges and prison time; and as medical care and COVID testing for incarcerated people are dangerously lacking. This moment highlights the many ways that cages of all kinds are a public health threat. People can’t heal, recuperate, or avoid infection in jails, prisons, and immigrant detention centers. No one is free unless we are all free. And no one will be released unless we demand everyone be released!”
Pixelated Revolution is a bi-weekly newsletter that features the graphic designers and illustrators of color behind some of the most engaging and viral activist-driven graphics on social media that touches upon issues of systemic oppression, race, gender, and sexuality politics.
The newsletter is created and edited by Margaret Guzman, an arts and culture journalist and documentary filmmaker based in New York City.
For activist-minded artists who want to be featured, we would love to interview you. Just email me at mmg591@nyu.edu
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