Published by Aperture in 2011, “Penelope Umbrico: Photographs” is the first major monograph of the artist’s work. Umbrico offers a radical reinterpretation of everyday consumer and vernacular images by “appropriating” them from the relentless flow of the internet. Working within the virtual archives of Flickr, eBay, and Craigslist, she identifies image typologies—such as thousands of sunset photos or broken LCD screens—to expose the farcical and surreal nature of modern consumerism. The book explores quintessential issues of representation, questioning how these shared digital desires construct our collective identity. Accompanied by several theoretical essays, it serves as a critical resource for understanding visual literacy in the age of social media.