Guerilla Girls: Art really is about discourse
The Guerrilla Girls is a New York based anonymous group of feminist, female artists devoted to fighting sexism and racism within the art world. This is their statement:
"We are a group of women artists and art professionals who fight discrimination. We’re the conscience of the art world, counterparts to the mostly male traditions of anonymous do-gooders like Robin Hood, Batman, and the Lone Ranger. We have produced over 80 posters, printed projects, and actions that expose sexism and racism in the art world and culture at large… We use humour to prove that feminists can be funny… We could be anyone; we are everywhere."
They reclaimed King Kong, the proto Hollywood monster, using his mask and the pseudonyms of dead female artists: Frida Kahlo, Käthe Kollwitz, and Gertrude Stein.
They were gradually embraced by the artworld with their work in galleries such as MoMa and Tate Modern. This is how they reconcile their popularity with their work:
What do you do when the art world you’ve spent your whole life attacking suddenly embraces you? Well… you take your critique right inside the joint. We dissed MoMA at its own symposium on feminism. We criticized the Tate Modern and the Istanbul Modern…. The response? After we made fun of the National Gallery of Art, they vowed to change their ways. Ditto the Tate Modern and MoMA.
Guerilla Girls, Interview magazine
