Guerrilla Girls
Encyclopedia
Guerrilla Girls are an anonymous group of feminists devoted to fighting against sexism within the visual fine art
world internationally. Started in New York City in 1985 to protest gender
and racial inequality in the art world, members are known for the gorilla masks
they wear to keep their anonymity.
's exhibition "An International Survey of Recent Painting and Sculpture" which showcased 169 artists; out of those 169, only 17 were women. The curator's press release for the exhibition stated: "Any artist who is not in my show should rethink his career." The founding Guerrilla Girls spoke out against the curators statement and museums lack of female artist coverage by placing posters throughout SoHo
. Eventually the group started to take notice of racial inequality within the art world, and began to incorporate artists of color into their fold. The group did not start off wearing masks.
is just one of the concerns challenged by the group today. Economic discrimination in art sales and the auction market is another. Women and artists of color earn about 10-20% of what white men do for comparable artwork.
In 2001 the group split into three separate and independent organizations: Guerrilla Girls, Inc., Guerrilla Girls BroadBand, Inc., and Guerrilla Girls On Tour! Inc. Original unincorporated association, Guerrilla Girls, no longer exists.
and those of color in museums and galleries internationally. Early organizing was based around meetings where the group would evaluate the statistical data they gathered regarding gender inequality within the New York City art world and plan their next moves. One example of data gathered by the group included a "weenie count," where members would go to institutions, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art
, and count the male to female subject ratio in artworks. The data gathered from the Met's public collections in 1985 showed that only 5% of the subjects were women and 83% of the images of women displayed were nude. Data like this formed the basis for protests - verbally and visually. The group also kept report card
s about organizations, galleries and critics featuring this data. The Guerrilla Girls also worked closely with artists, encouraging them to speak to those within the community to bridge the gender gap
within the art world.
In 1992, with the Women’s Action Coalition (WAC), a protest was held at the Guggenheim Museum
, involving the passing out of large paper bags with gorilla masks printed on them to protesters. A Gig Girl is assigned to handle public appearance requests, as well as funding and coordination of travel. The Guerrilla Girls have protested and/or spoken out about gender and race concerns regarding the Whitney Biennial
as well as private collections and auctions.
to express their ideals, opinions, concerns, and to bring revenue into the group. Their posters, which now are in the collection of the museum they originally protested against, the Museum of Modern Art, among others, are known for their bold statements such as "Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum?" and "When racism and sexism are no longer fashionable, what will your art collection be worth?". In the early days posters were brainstormed, designed, critiqued and posted around New York. Small handbills based on their designs were also passed out at events by the thousands.
In 1990 the group designed a billboard
featuring Mona Lisa
that was placed along the West Side Highway
supported by the New York City public art fund. For one day, New York's MTA Bus Company
also displayed bus advertisements asking "Do Women Have to get Naked to get into the Met Museum?".
Stickers also became popular calling cards
representative of the group. In the mid-1980s they infiltrated, without masks to maintain anonymity, the Guggenheim Museum
bathrooms, placing stickers they had created about female inequality
on the walls.
In 1998, Guerrilla Girls West protested at the San Jose Museum of Art
, over low representation of women artists.
Since 2002, Guerrilla Girls, Inc.have designed and installed billboards in Los Angeles during the Oscars to expose white male dominance in the film industry
, such as: "Anatomically Correct Oscars", "Even the Senate is More Progressive than Hollywood", "The Birth of Feminism," "Unchain the Women Directors."
world. A mentoring
program was formed within the group, pairing a new member with an experienced Guerrilla Girl to bring them into the fold. Due to the lack of formality, the group is comfortable with individuals outside of their base claiming to be Guerrilla Girls; Guerilla Girl 1 stated in a 2007 interview: "It can only enhance us by having people of power who have been given credit for being a Girl, even if they were never a Girl." Men are not allowed to become Guerrilla Girls but do support the group by assisting in promotional activities.
Guerrilla Girls names are pseudonyms generally based on well-known dead female artists. Members goes by names such as Alma Thomas, Rosalba Carriera
, Frida Kahlo
, Julia de Borgos, and Hannah Hoch
. Carriera is credited with the idea of using pseudonyms as ways to not forget female artists; having read about Rosable Carriera in a footnote of Letters on Cezanne by Maria Rainer Rilke, she decided to pay tribute to this little known woman artist with her Guerrilla Girls name. This also helped to solve the problem of media interviews; the group was often interviewed by phone and would not give names, causing problems and confusion amongst the group and the media. Guerrilla Girl 1 joined in the late 1980s, taking on her name as a way to memorialize women in the art community who have fallen under the radar and did not make as notable as an impact as the names takes on by other members.
, Art dealer
Holly Solomon questioned their wearing of gorilla masks asking:
, which they described as being "treated like rock stars."
which is often overlooked.
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
world internationally. Started in New York City in 1985 to protest gender
Gender inequality
Gender inequality refers to disparity between individuals due to gender. Gender is constructed both socially through social interactions as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain structure, and hormonal differences. Gender systems are often dichotomous and hierarchical; binary gender...
and racial inequality in the art world, members are known for the gorilla masks
Gorilla suit
Gorilla suits or ape suits are full-bodied costumes resembling gorillas or other large primates.Gorilla suits have been used both to represent real gorillas in film and on stage, and also as a source of humour...
they wear to keep their anonymity.
History
Guerrilla Girls formed in 1985 in response to the Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
's exhibition "An International Survey of Recent Painting and Sculpture" which showcased 169 artists; out of those 169, only 17 were women. The curator's press release for the exhibition stated: "Any artist who is not in my show should rethink his career." The founding Guerrilla Girls spoke out against the curators statement and museums lack of female artist coverage by placing posters throughout SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
. Eventually the group started to take notice of racial inequality within the art world, and began to incorporate artists of color into their fold. The group did not start off wearing masks.
Current status
Through their history the Guerrilla Girls have seen art and the world surrounding it evolve into a different place with issues changing since 1985. TokenismTokenism
In the arts, employment, and politics, tokenism is a policy or practice of limited inclusion or artistic and/or political representation of members of a traditionally marginalized group, usually creating a false appearance of inclusive practices rather than discrimination, intentional or not...
is just one of the concerns challenged by the group today. Economic discrimination in art sales and the auction market is another. Women and artists of color earn about 10-20% of what white men do for comparable artwork.
In 2001 the group split into three separate and independent organizations: Guerrilla Girls, Inc., Guerrilla Girls BroadBand, Inc., and Guerrilla Girls On Tour! Inc. Original unincorporated association, Guerrilla Girls, no longer exists.
Activity
Guerrilla Girls organize protests, present at public speaking engagements and have conducted surveys about women artistsWomen artists
Women artists have been involved in making art in most times and places. Often certain certain media are associated with women, particularly textile arts; however, these gender roles in art change in different cultures and communities...
and those of color in museums and galleries internationally. Early organizing was based around meetings where the group would evaluate the statistical data they gathered regarding gender inequality within the New York City art world and plan their next moves. One example of data gathered by the group included a "weenie count," where members would go to institutions, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
, and count the male to female subject ratio in artworks. The data gathered from the Met's public collections in 1985 showed that only 5% of the subjects were women and 83% of the images of women displayed were nude. Data like this formed the basis for protests - verbally and visually. The group also kept report card
Report card
A report card communicates a student's performance. In most places, the report card is issued by the school to the student or the student's parents twice or four times yearly. A typical report card uses a grading scale to determine the quality of a student's school work...
s about organizations, galleries and critics featuring this data. The Guerrilla Girls also worked closely with artists, encouraging them to speak to those within the community to bridge the gender gap
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
within the art world.
In 1992, with the Women’s Action Coalition (WAC), a protest was held at the Guggenheim Museum
Guggenheim Museum
Guggenheim Museum may refer to:* The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, United States* The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy* The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain* The Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in Las Vegas, United States...
, involving the passing out of large paper bags with gorilla masks printed on them to protesters. A Gig Girl is assigned to handle public appearance requests, as well as funding and coordination of travel. The Guerrilla Girls have protested and/or spoken out about gender and race concerns regarding the Whitney Biennial
Whitney Biennial
The Whitney Biennial is a biennale exhibition of contemporary American art, typically by young and lesser known artists, on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, USA. The event began as an annual exhibition in 1932, the first biennial was in 1973...
as well as private collections and auctions.
Protest art
Throughout their existence the Guerrilla Girls have utilized protest artProtest art
Protest art is a broad term that refers to creative works that concern or are produced by activists and social movements. There are also contemporary and historical works and currents of thought that can be characterized in this way....
to express their ideals, opinions, concerns, and to bring revenue into the group. Their posters, which now are in the collection of the museum they originally protested against, the Museum of Modern Art, among others, are known for their bold statements such as "Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum?" and "When racism and sexism are no longer fashionable, what will your art collection be worth?". In the early days posters were brainstormed, designed, critiqued and posted around New York. Small handbills based on their designs were also passed out at events by the thousands.
In 1990 the group designed a billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
featuring Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519...
that was placed along the West Side Highway
West Side Highway
The West Side Highway is a mostly surface section of New York State Route 9A that runs from West 72nd Street along the Hudson River to the southern tip of Manhattan. It replaced the West Side Elevated Highway, built between 1929 and 1951, which was shut down in 1973 due to neglect and lack of...
supported by the New York City public art fund. For one day, New York's MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company is a service of MTA Regional Bus Operations used on routes previously controlled by the New York City Department of Transportation , and operated by private operators that provided service under contract to the NYCDOT...
also displayed bus advertisements asking "Do Women Have to get Naked to get into the Met Museum?".
Stickers also became popular calling cards
Business card
Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver's name, company affiliation and contact information such as street addresses, telephone...
representative of the group. In the mid-1980s they infiltrated, without masks to maintain anonymity, the Guggenheim Museum
Guggenheim Museum
Guggenheim Museum may refer to:* The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, United States* The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy* The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain* The Guggenheim Hermitage Museum in Las Vegas, United States...
bathrooms, placing stickers they had created about female inequality
Gender inequality
Gender inequality refers to disparity between individuals due to gender. Gender is constructed both socially through social interactions as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain structure, and hormonal differences. Gender systems are often dichotomous and hierarchical; binary gender...
on the walls.
In 1998, Guerrilla Girls West protested at the San Jose Museum of Art
San Jose Museum of Art
The San Jose Museum of Art is an art museum in Downtown San Jose, California, USA. Founded in 1969, the museum hosts a large permanent collection emphasizing West Coast artists of the 20th- and 21st-century. It is located next to the Circle of Palms Plaza and Plaza de César Chávez...
, over low representation of women artists.
Since 2002, Guerrilla Girls, Inc.have designed and installed billboards in Los Angeles during the Oscars to expose white male dominance in the film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
, such as: "Anatomically Correct Oscars", "Even the Senate is More Progressive than Hollywood", "The Birth of Feminism," "Unchain the Women Directors."
Publications
Guerrilla Girls have also published books relating to their statistical data, protest art and goals regarding inequality in the art world. In 1995 they published their first book: Confessions of the Guerrilla Girls.Members & names
Membership in the New York City group is by invite only, based on relationships with current and past members, and one's involvement in contemporary artContemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
world. A mentoring
Mentoring
Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
program was formed within the group, pairing a new member with an experienced Guerrilla Girl to bring them into the fold. Due to the lack of formality, the group is comfortable with individuals outside of their base claiming to be Guerrilla Girls; Guerilla Girl 1 stated in a 2007 interview: "It can only enhance us by having people of power who have been given credit for being a Girl, even if they were never a Girl." Men are not allowed to become Guerrilla Girls but do support the group by assisting in promotional activities.
Guerrilla Girls names are pseudonyms generally based on well-known dead female artists. Members goes by names such as Alma Thomas, Rosalba Carriera
Rosalba Carriera
Rosalba Carriera was a Venetian Rococo painter. In her younger years, she specialized in portrait miniatures...
, Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo de Rivera was a Mexican painter, born in Coyoacán, and perhaps best known for her self-portraits....
, Julia de Borgos, and Hannah Hoch
Hannah Höch
Hannah Höch was a German Dada artist. She is best known for her work of the Weimar period, when she was one of the originators of photomontage.-Biography:...
. Carriera is credited with the idea of using pseudonyms as ways to not forget female artists; having read about Rosable Carriera in a footnote of Letters on Cezanne by Maria Rainer Rilke, she decided to pay tribute to this little known woman artist with her Guerrilla Girls name. This also helped to solve the problem of media interviews; the group was often interviewed by phone and would not give names, causing problems and confusion amongst the group and the media. Guerrilla Girl 1 joined in the late 1980s, taking on her name as a way to memorialize women in the art community who have fallen under the radar and did not make as notable as an impact as the names takes on by other members.
Reception
In a 1985 panel discussion with the group at Cooper UnionCooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
, Art dealer
Art dealer
An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art. Art dealers' professional associations serve to set high standards for accreditation or membership and to support art exhibitions and shows.-Role:...
Holly Solomon questioned their wearing of gorilla masks asking:
Why do they have to wear such ugly things like gorilla masks, why can't they wear CinderellaWith international appearances the reception has varied; students in a small town in Indiana threw things while the Guerrilla Girls presented, in contrast to visits to the Art Institute of ChicagoCinderella"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
masks?
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, which they described as being "treated like rock stars."
Self-perception
Members of the group have described themselves as "professional complainers"; believing that just having their posters and group art in the holdings of major museums allows art history to reflect on the critique of 20th-century and 21st-century artContemporary art
Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced...
which is often overlooked.
Notable collections
- Art Institute of ChicagoArt Institute of ChicagoThe School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, Chicago, Illinois - Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York
- TateTate-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
Notable exhibitions
- The Night the Palladium Apologized, 1985, Palladium, New York, New York
- Guerrilla Girls Review the Whitney, 1987, The Clocktower, New York, New York
- Guerrilla Girls Printed Matter, 1995, 77 Wooster StreetWooster StreetWooster Street or Wooster St. may refer to:Streets in the United States * Wooster Street in SoHo , New York City, New York...
, SoHo
External links
- The Feminist Future: Guerrilla Girls a video from a talk presented at the Museum of Modern Art.
- Girls Behaving Badly from the New Yorker.
- Guerilla Girls On Tour, official website