Political, raw, and feminist? Yes, Guerrilla Girls are just that. Since 1985, the Guerrilla Girls have created public art that addresses politics, gender, and inequality that women throughout the world experience. They call themselves Guerrilla because of their tactics, placing large scale banners on billboards and using projectors on the side of buildings. They create a conversation of equality between gender and artists of color, particularly in the arts.

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The group also wears gorilla masks in public to remain anonymous. While they are public in their art and expression, they remain mysterious about their own identities. Anonymity keeps them safe and adds to their message; anyone could be a Guerrilla Girl, and they are everyone.

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Over the years the Guerilla Girls have exhibited all around the world and have received critical acclaim. Their recent traveling exhibition, Not Ready to Make Nice, started on Sept. 7 and runs until Oct. 22 at Verge Center for the Arts in Sacramento. This exhibition displays a collection of 30 years of their radical and thought-provoking artwork.

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Their display of works is done so with an alarming amount of statistics. One poster reads, “Women in America earn only 2/3 of what men do. Women artists earn only 1/3 of what men artists do.” The Guerrilla Girls graphically display women and artists of color as underrepresented in the arts and still suppressed after years of having “equal” rights.

guerrilla-girls-mfc.jpg Ask yourself, “How many women exhibitions has my local art museum or gallery had?” “How many women are featured at the Crocker Art Museum or Haggin Museum right now?”

In addition, to their exhibition at Verge, they also will be giving a lecture at California State University, Sacramento, on Oct. 5. The event will take place at the University Union at 7:30pm. The event is FREE. Find more information here.