"Female Art Collective Goes Guerrilla," by Maia Welbel, The Student Life
A group of women wearing gorilla masks are shattering the glass ceiling for women and people of color in the art world. With their provocative, attention-grabbing works, the Guerrilla Girls make an unmistakable statement about the status quo.
The 鶹ý Museum of Art (PCMA) is currently showcasing a selection of works from the Guerrilla Girls’ Portfolio Compleat 1985-2012. PCMA will be the first museum in Southern California to exhibit the work of the Guerrilla Girls. Posters, handbills, books and newsletters chronicle their battle to rewrite hegemonic narratives.
Based on the assembly of artists most prominently represented in museums around the globe, there is no question as to who gets priority. The original mission of the Guerrilla Girls was to change this paradigm. Brightly colored posters exclaiming in bold type phrases like “Museums Cave in to Radical Feminists” and “Do Women Have to be Naked to get into the Met. Museum?” brazenly convey their message.
The satirical work of the Guerrilla Girls has since expanded to deal with a range of social justice issues, including homelessness and abortion rights. Whatever injustice they are confronting, they do so with forceful ambition. Their provocative pieces are designed to be produced in large quantities so that they reach the widest viewership possible.