"The Guerilla Girls"
March 7 2016
Video: CBS
I've only just come across The Guerilla Girls, who are (according to their website):
[...] feminist masked avengers in the tradition of anonymous do-gooders like Robin Hood, Wonder Woman and Batman. How do we expose sexism, racism and corruption in politics, art, film and pop culture? With facts, humor and outrageous visuals.
Here is one of their posters:
Earlier this year the Girls featured on a US talk show with Stephen Colbert (above), where they made many sound points, especially about the state of the contemporary art world. They argue that it reflects merely the needs and desires of mega-rich, male collectors - which of course is true. Of course, t'was ever thus, and by coincidence I touch on this point with regard to Old Masters in a new piece for The Art Newspaper. (It's not online, and you'll have to buy the print edition to read it.)
While I'm not one for earnestly trying to correct any past male bias in art history (we are where we are), I like the Guerilla Girls' view that we should see the history of art as more of a history of power. But in a sense all history is that.
Update - my Art Newspaper piece is now online, here.
