Summary
- Acclaimed pattern and decoration artist Joyce Kozloff revealed herself to be a Guerrilla Girl in a recent interview
- She helped establish the anonymous feminist art collective in its early days and left in 1991
- The group, still active today, is known for its radical “guerrilla”-style interventions that expose misogyny and racism in the art world
The Guerrilla Girls have been known for causing a stir – whether it’s with unexpected displays in public spaces or inside famous museums. This feminist artist group has been fighting against bias and inequality in the art world since 1985, using bold and unconventional methods to get their message across.
For decades, the identities of the members behind the activist group known as Guerrilla Girls have remained a closely guarded secret – one of the art world’s biggest puzzles. Now, after 40 years, founding member Joyce Kozloff has come forward to reveal her involvement. The well-known artist, famous for her patterned and decorative work, recently shared this information in an interview with Art Journal.
According to Kozloff, the group chose the name ‘Guerrilla Girls’ and adopted a distinctive look – fishnet stockings and short skirts – to publicly challenge sexism in the art world. They appeared in public wearing masks, presenting themselves as a kind of activist force.
The group prioritized staying anonymous, but the artist emphasized this wasn’t about avoiding criticism. She explained, “I pushed for anonymity so the focus would stay on the problems we were addressing, not on us as people.”
While participating in the group, she began writing “The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist” (1988), which became one of their best-known pieces. The idea came to her during an artist residency at Kohler, where she observed that male artists were often accompanied by their partners, who also handled domestic tasks and provided unpaid assistance in the studio.
The group’s members choose to use the names of famous female artists and writers who have passed away as their working names, or pseudonyms. The founders initially went by “Frida Kahlo” and “Käthe Kollwitz,” and others have since adopted names like Ana Mendieta and Audre Lorde. For many years, people have wondered who the members are, but very few have publicly come forward. Kozloff and artist Robin Tewes, who recently confirmed she used the name “Alice Neel,” are among the exceptions.
I remember when Kozloff left the Guerrilla Girls back in ’91, but honestly, they’re still amazing! They haven’t lost any steam and are still working hard to call out unfairness everywhere you look in the art world.
2026-07-24 00:56