Fernández is a conceptual artist best known for her prominent public sculptures and unconventional use of materials. Her work is characterized by an interest in perception and the psychology of looking, and her experiential, large-scale works are often inspired by landscape and natural phenomena, as well as diverse historical and cultural references. For example, from the Plexiglas circular labyrinth Bamboo Cinema (2001) to the graphite seascape Nocturnal (Neon Miniature) (2011) to the shimmering blue walls of Stacked Waters (2009) in the atrium of The Blanton Museum, Texas, Fernández references traditional artistic techniques from Baroque-era ceiling painting and conventions of landscape painting to the works of Land artist Robert Smithson and Minimalist Donald Judd.