{"id":1921011,"date":"2026-05-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1921011"},"modified":"2026-05-06T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T21:00:00","slug":"how-fatinha-ramos-channels-visual-activism-in-her-richly-layered-illustrations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1921011","title":{"rendered":"How Fatinha Ramos Channels \u2018Visual Activism\u2019 in Her Richly Layered Illustrations"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1928\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-4.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of orange serpents in a tangle\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images courtesy of Fatinha Ramos, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">How Fatinha Ramos Channels \u2018Visual Activism\u2019 in Her Richly Layered Illustrations<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-05-06T11:02:00-05:00\">May 6, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-illustration\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/illustration\/\" rel=\"tag\">Illustration<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/gebert\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Grace Ebert<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F05%2Ffatinha-ramos-illustrations%2F&amp;title=How%20Fatinha%20Ramos%20Channels%20%E2%80%98Visual%20Activism%E2%80%99%20in%20Her%20Richly%20Layered%20Illustrations\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"473449\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cTo me, being a visual activist means I only illustrate stories that resonate with me deeply, by giving voice to minorities or social situations that need to be addressed,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/fatinha.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fatinha Ramos<\/a>. \u201cIt is the only way I can truly connect with others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Based in Antwerp, the Portuguese artist and illustrator is well-known for blending analog and digital techniques to create rich, emotive compositions. Collaborating with clients like <em>The New York Times<\/em>, <em>The Washington Post<\/em>, Tate, and <em>Scientific American<\/em>, among many others, Ramos has cultivated a keen eye for storytelling through her distinctive visual language.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-2.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473449\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2250\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-2.jpeg\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of herself and Frida Kahlo in bed with red-stemmed plants growing from their bodies\" class=\"wp-image-473712\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Recent partnerships include the Anne Frank Museum and MoMA, the latter of which commissioned the artist to illustrate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moma.org\/magazine\/articles\/1374\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">an essay<\/a> on her experience being compared to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/frida-kahlo\/\">Frida Kahlo<\/a>. Ramos was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, commonly called <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Osteogenesis_imperfecta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">brittle bone disease<\/a>, which spurred a childhood spent in and out of hospitals. Drawing and art-making quickly became a preferred pastime, allowing her to transport herself from such clinical settings.<\/p>\n<p>This adolescent hobby stuck, and Ramos worked as an art director in advertising and publishing for 12 years before venturing out on her own. Boasting an impressive list of clients and collaborators, she considers her practice to be an antidote to stereotypical narratives, whether related to the climate crisis, sexism, racism, or the dire lack of empathy that seems rampant in today\u2019s world.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to move away from the narrative that turns artists with disabilities into symbols of resilience,\u201d she tells MoMA. \u201cCreativity does not happen despite limitations but through them. Art should broaden how we see the world\u2014and that includes how we see bodies, too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the moment, Ramos is only accepting select illustration clients as she focuses on a graphic novel and her fine art practice, including a series of anatomical glass sculptures based on brittle bone disease. You can explore more of her practice on <a href=\"https:\/\/fatinha.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">her website<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/fatinharamos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-8.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473449\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1928\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-8.jpeg\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of a woman crying with leaves falling in the background\" class=\"wp-image-473718\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-1.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473449\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2250\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-1.jpeg\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of herself and Frida Kahlo with their hearts and hands connected\" class=\"wp-image-473711\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-5.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473449\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1937\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-5.jpeg\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of a small figure in a boat looking at a large lush island at night\" class=\"wp-image-473715\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-6.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473449\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1928\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-6.jpeg\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of a figure standing in the shadow of an army of cats\" class=\"wp-image-473716\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-7.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473449\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1259\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-7.jpeg\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of a little girl looking down at a puddle while it rains\" class=\"wp-image-473717\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-3.jpeg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473449\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1650\" height=\"2117\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ramos-3.jpeg\" alt=\"an illustration by Fatinha Ramos of two figures entwined \" class=\"wp-image-473713\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow 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post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\">\n<div class=\"nav-links\">\n<div class=\"nav-previous\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/05\/nasa-artemis-ii-moon-earth-photography\/\" rel=\"prev\">Next article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All images courtesy of Fatinha Ramos, shared with permission How Fatinha Ramos Channels \u2018Visual Activism\u2019 in Her Richly Layered Illustrations May 6, 2026 ArtIllustration Grace Ebert Share Email Bookmark \u201cTo me, being a visual activist means I only illustrate stories that resonate with me deeply, by giving voice to minorities or social situations that need 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