Guerrilla Girls are a group of female artists who are anonymously involved in a stiff fight against sexism and racism in the world of art. The group dates back in 1985 when it was formed in New York City. It was launched by seven women, which was aimed at responding to a survey carried out on the painting and sculptures during the time. In this survey, the number of women who were included in the roster was only 13. It has a mission of bringing into focus the issues of gender and racial discrimination, which are available in our societies. The artists employ various methods of culture jamming, which include posters, writing books, creating billboards, and taking part in public appearances to expose discrimination and corruption in society. For anonymity, the artists wear masks whenever in public appearances; they use pseudonyms, and mostly they reference themselves with famous deceased female artists. They conceal their identities because they believe that the fights they engage in are more important than their personalities. They do not want their work to be biased as a result of the individual actions of various members.
During the 20 th -century contemporary art movement, there was an inappropriate representation of females in the art galleries and curators. Most of the major art galleries were funded and controlled by powerful white elites as well as other successful artists ( Withers, 1988) . As of 1960, the museum of art in New York had its board members consisting of male members only. Also, there was the vast disparity of female artist display of their artwork, though there existed great artwork that depicted female forms. Due to all these factors, the Guerrilla Girls movement was formed to bring light into these issues and counter the problems of sexism in the art world. At the same time, the campaign was aimed at fighting for the women of color who were taking part in the art world. Also, in the survey carried in 1985, there was no woman of color in the list, and a very few numbers of men of color were included in the list. Their expansion also enabled them to take part in racism and sexism issues both in America and the rest of the world.
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The group's primary focus is in the art world though there are also engaged in solving sexism issues in the contemporary world. They also address sexism and racism in other areas of society, such as films, mass, and popular culture, as well as in politics. Also, the guerrilla girls worked closely with artists, encouraging them to raise their voices with an effort to bridge the gender gap ( Chave, 2011) . The primary identifier is their mask, which is aimed at giving them a disguise. Also, the mask was supposed to provide them with a chance to speak about any issues without feeling guilty that people will know who you are. They are accredited with sparking dialogues and bring the nation into attention to the problems of racism and sexism within the art world and the society at large.
The main proponents of this movement are feminist artists. In the early days of the movement, it mostly consisted of women around New York City who were participating in art. In the 1970s, many women artists were not considered to be having an ability to produce authentic and radically different art. The Guerrilla Girls were majorly shaped by the 1970s women movement, where they resolved to come up with new strategies of fighting for their rights ( Chave, 2011) . Their target was aimed at creating an original image and a new way of creating an appeal to the younger generation of women. Also, they wanted to move away from the feminist movements of the time whose primary gospel was hating men, anti-maternal, forceful and humorless. These artists adopted the poststructuralist theories and other 1970’s strategies though they used different approaches.
The Guerrilla Girls have gained their attention throughout their existence due to their bold use of art in protesting. Their posters and billboards are an expression of their observations and concerns Concerning the ideals that exist in society concerning various social topics that affect people in the community. They use art, which is driven by facts and inform people using accurately collected data. They ensure that they capture the attention of people by combining their posters with some humor, such as messages and images ( Demo, 2000) . Though they have had their extensive work by using provocative posters, the group has been able to enjoy other indoor exhibitions and public commissions. Their first posters were posted along Manhattan streets and engaged in passing handbills around to the people who informed them of various events and meetings that they had organized. Firstly they would display their posters in black and white, but later, they advanced to colored posters and factsheets. In these materials, they would highlight inequalities that existed between the male and female artists and the number of exhibitions set aside for females, their gallery representation, and the amount that they were being paid.
The guerrilla girls tend to represent a popular cultural trend in the society of fight for equality where women have been engaging in a battle against discrimination and inequality. However, it is essential to note that different from the typical struggle for justice, guerrilla girls are mainly focused in the art world as their primary area of interest. They claim to be creating a history of power where they want women to be represented in society. This significant move has enabled various people to team up with them and tackle the existing stereotypes in society as well as represent the underrepresented in society.
The guerrilla girls identify with no specific institution. In an interview, the members claimed that they finance their activities using their contributions ( Guerrilla Girls, 1995) . However, they mostly receive unsolicited contributions from other museum galleries and individuals. Also, they receive contributions from women artists who have had success in their careers. They fail to identify with a specific organization because they attack various institutions and their activities in handling the issue of discrimination and sexism ( Raizada, 2007) . However, whenever they attack a significant organization, they mostly receive retributions, and they also sell posters to various organizations.
The guerilla girls have been engaged in a vital outreach initiative, where they are represented in universities, colleges, organizations of art as well as in museums. These representations have enabled the organization to attract thousands of attendees, and these have helped them to past on their ideas to the public. They do not have a specific prototype, and this enables them to ensure originality and uniqueness of identification and a way of passing down ideas. However, various people have been able to identify with the movement as they attempt o fight for their rights and freedoms. They have appeared in multiple significant shows and presentations where they have been able to present their ideas.
References
Chave, A. C. (2011). The guerrilla girls' reckoning. Art Journal , 70 (2), 102-111.
Demo, A. T. (2000). The Guerrilla Girls' comic politics of subversion. Women's Studies in Communication , 23 (2), 133-156.
Guerrilla Girls (Group of artists). (1995). Confessions of the Guerrilla Girls: by the Guerrilla Girls (whoever they are); with an essay by Whitney Chadwick . Harper Perennial.
Raizada, K. (2007). An Interview with the Guerrilla Girls, Dyke Action Machine (DAM!), and the Toxic Titties. NWSA Journal , 39-58.
Withers, J. (1988). The Guerrilla Girls. Feminist Studies , 14 (2), 285-300.
