Book Description: We were Guerillas before we were Gorillas. From the beginning, the press wanted publicity photos. We needed a disguise. No one remembers, for sure, how we got our fur, but one story is that at an early meeting, an original Girl, a bad speller, wrote 'Gorilla' instead of'Guerilla.' It was an enlightening mistake. It gave us our mask-ulinity. Ever wonder about the abundance of naked male statues in the Classical section of your favorite museum? Did you know medieval convents were hotbeds of female artistic expression? And how did those "bad boy" artists of the twentieth century make it even harder for a girl to get a break? Thanks to the Guerrilla Girls, those masked feminists whose mission it is to break the white male stronghold over the art world, art history-as we know it-is history. Taking you back through the ages, the Guerrilla Girls demonstrate how males (particularly white males) have dominated the art scene, and discouraged, belittled, or obscured women's involvement. Their skeptical and hilarious interpretations of "popular" theory are augmented by the newest research and the expertise of prominent feminist art historians. "Believe-it-or-not" quotations from some of the "experts" are sprinkled throughout, as are the Guerrilla Girls' signature masterpieces: reproductions of famous art works, slightly "altered" for historic accuracy and vindication. This colorful reinterpretation of classic and modern art, as outrageous as it is visually arresting, is a much-needed corrective to traditional art history, and an unabashed celebration of female artists.
Guerilla Girls Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art I use this as a supplimental text in my high school art history classes, and the students love the format, with its heavy dose of satire, comics and irreverent historical research. It is full of little gems. I especially love the Renaissance chapter and the GG's description of the true Renaissance Man. This book is also historically accurate, short and easy to read. It could even be used as a prime example of feminist scholarship and humor and the fact that the two are not mutually exclusive. Also, even though it was written twenty years ago, it is not at all dated- the students would never think it is aout of date.
Well-researched and written, but be aware before reading The main forewarning I give is this: the Guerilla Girls wrote this book. Yes, that's obvious, but when you read that, you should be thinking of militant feminist artists and art historians. With that in mind, the book is written with a definitely militant voice, but it is definitely well-written, well-researched, and gets their message across. It was a great deal shorter than I was expecting, since I didn't look at the page count, but it was an enlightening (if quick) read, and more of a glimpse and enticement into the world of non-white-male artists.
An absolute fun read for lovers of art history! An absolute fun read for lovers of art history! This book gives a brief history of women in art, challenges they faced (and still face today), and the roles of women from classical times through the present time. Just who are the Guerrilla Girls'? They are a group of artists and arts professionals, who in the 1980's, decided to fight discrimination in the art world and become the self-proclaimed "conscience of the art world." "We wore gorilla masks to keep the focus on the issues rather than our personalities." The Guerrilla Girls' begin with the images of women from the Classical Era, where reliefs of Amazons decorated buildings, but an ancient Greek or Roman "women could not vote or engage in transactions worth more than a grain of barley." Travel through the Middle Ages where Hildegard von Bingen decorated beautiful texts and Christine de Pizan made her living as a writer (the first woman known to have done so!) The journey continues through the Renaissance with Lavinia Fontana, Sonfonisba Anguissola, and Artemisia Gentileschi, through the 17th and 18th centuries with Judith Leyster and Angelica Kauffman; all on the way to the 20th century and Frida Kahlo, Lee Krasner, and Eva Hesse. What makes this book so much more interesting than the other books coming out on women artists, is the humor the Guerrilla Girls' use to get the point across and the graphic nature of the book itself. Each page is filled with examples of artwork and fun graphics.
Far too short!! This book takes you, with biting wit and humor, beyond the works of "accepted" masters (all of whom I deeply admire, by the way), showing you that for every renaissance man, there was an Artemisia Gentileschi. That among the plethora of still lifes from the 17th and 18th centuries, you that you would do well to study those of Rachel Rueysch, who captures every petal and leaf with intoxicating detail and color. They were able, even with my deep-seated resistance to "modern art", to instill in me a deep appreciation for works of impressionists, modernists, post-modernists and abstract artists.
In short, an ideal starting point for those looking to delve into art history, yet still ideal for those academics with short attentions spans. I only wish it were longer!
a bit basic, but useful for the non-artist The book is informative and enjoyable to read through. Graphics and visuals support the text. Most artists and art educators are (or should be) familiar with the Guerilla Girls and their work and may find this a repeat of what is already known, For those who are unfamiliar with their works or who have had a typical western oriented art history background, this book will be an eye opener.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
