In the mid-1980s, an anonymous collective called the Guerrilla Girls began creative activism demanding equal representation for women and nonwhite artists in major museums, plastering the city with eye-catching posters attacking persistent sexism and racism in the art world. Today, the Guerrilla Girls—known for wearing gorilla masks—continue using humor, facts, and flamboyant visuals to expose gender and ethnic bias, while emphasizing feminism’s necessity in 21st century art and society.
The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist
Object Details
- Date
- 1988
- Designer
- Guerrilla Girls, USA, established 1985
- Catalogue Status
- Research in Progress
- Description
- White political poster with black text. Text reads: "THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING A WOMAN ARTIST:/ Working without the pressure of success./ Not having to be in shows with men./ Having an escape from the art world in your 4 free-lance jobs./ Knowing your career might pick up after you're eighty./ Being reassured that whatever kind of art you make it will be labeled feminine./ Not being stuck in a tenured teaching position./ Seeing your ideas live on in the works of others./ Having the opportunity to choose between a career and motherhood./ Not having to choke on those big cigars or paint in Italian suits./ Having more time to work after your mate dumps you for someone younger./ Being included in revised versions of art history./ Not having to undergo the embarassment of being called a genius./ Getting your pictures in the art magazines wearing a gorilla suit./ Please send $ and comments to: Guerilla Girls Conscience of the Art World/ Box 1056 Cooper Sta. NY, NY 10276."
- designed in
- USA
- See more items in
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection
- Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department
- Credit Line
- Gift of Sara and Marc Benda
- Data Source
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
- Accession Number
- 2009-20-1
- Type
- graphic design
- Object Name
- Poster
- Type
- Poster
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Copyright Notice
- © Guerrilla Girls, courtesy guerrillagirls.com
- Medium
- Photo-offset lithograph on paper
- Dimensions
- 43.1 x 56 cm (16 15/16 x 22 1/16 in.)
- Record ID
- chndm_2009-20-1