Reinventing the F-Word: Guerrilla Girls visit Regis

(Photo: Frances Meng-Frecker)

By: Natalia Zreliak, Digital Editor

“Are there any hungry feminists out there?”

Yesterday two members of the Guerilla Girls, a group of feminist activist artists, began their speech by walking down the aisles of the Claver Recital Hall and tossing bananas to the crowd. The hall was filled with students, faculty, and community members while music from Queen Latifah and Christina Aguilera played. The event was hosted by Regis’ Fine Arts Department and Dr. Barbara Coleman, a professor of Art at Regis, welcomed the crowd and introduced the work of the Guerilla Girls by showing their first ever poster.

The Guerilla Girl's most famous work (Photo courtesy of Guerrilla Girls)

“What that simple poster said opened so many of our eyes to the institutionalized racism and sexism in the Regis’ Fine Arts Department, a group of feminist activist artists, began their speech by walking down the aisles of the Claver Recital Hall and tossing bananas to the crowd. The hall was filled with students, faculty, and community members while music from Queen Latifah and Christina Aguilera played. The event was hosted by Guerrilla GirlsYesterday two members of the so-called “liberated” world of the arts, that simple turn of phrase turned that world on its head,” said Coleman.

After a short introduction video, the Guerrilla Girls took to the stage and talked about their motivations and the work they have done over the years. The Guerrilla Girls started tackling injustice in the Art world in 1985 by calling out major galleries. “We stand for the conscious of the art world,” said Kathe Kollwitz, one of the Guerrilla Girls who has taken the name of the dead artist to keep her memory alive as the rest of the Guerrilla Girls do. They’ve had over 55 members through the years, some for weeks and others for years. They wear gorilla masks to keep their identities anonymous, grab the public’s attention, and keep the focus on the issues. Facts and humor are the main ways in which they spread their messages claiming that if you can make someone who disagrees with you laugh then you have more of a chance to change their mind.

What started as a movement in New York City has spread all over the world, the two members having just returned from a protest in Brazil. Their work has also been featured in the very museums that they critique and their work has expanded to call out Hollywood and the injustice that lies there as well.

To learn more about the Guerilla Girls visit their website, www.guerrillagirls.com, and get involved.

Humans of Regis: Dr. Barbara Coleman

(Photo: Emily Schneider)

By: Samantha Jewell, Social Media Editor

What brought you to Regis University?

Well initially, I was teaching at the University of Colorado, and I was an adjunct like we have many here, and this job came up, and I applied, and I ended up with it, and so, that’s why I am here!

What created your passion for the arts?

Oh, that is an interesting question! I was always interested in the arts. I took an art history class back when I was an undergraduate, I took four of them, I had a minor in art history, and when I got out of school, it is an age-old problem that you guys have that same question, what are you going to do with an Art History Degree? Well, there is only one thing to do, you go and get a PhD and be a professor and I had never really thought that was something I could do. I really liked it, but I didn’t feel that I could be successful at it, so I ended up being a CPA, and I worked as an accountant for many years, and I woke up one day, and I said literally, “I hate my life, what am I going to do, and how can I make this okay” I said, “You know you have always loved art history, you need to pursue that”. I went to Boulder and I talked my way into their master’s program. There was no reason for them necessarily to accept me but I did everything that I could and I got in and I did quite well. One of my advisors told me that I should get my PhD, and I said, “that is a great idea”, and I went and did that, I had a series of jobs and then finally I ended up at Regis College.

What can you tell us about your connection to the Guerilla Girls and why you decided to bring them to Regis University?

Well, I have always been a proud Feminist. There has indeed been a period where feminism has become a dirty word, and this particular program is called Reinventing the F Word which is bringing feminism back to the picture. I have always been involved in those things. We had an anonymous donor who gave the Fine & Performing Arts Department almost $175,000, we don’t know who it is. At first, we were like well can buy everything imaginable and then we thought no, that isn’t a great idea. So, we do this Inspired Thinkers Series, and it was my turn to come up with somebody, and I saw the Guerrilla Girls on Stephen Colbert, and I thought well they would be great, never thinking they would ever come. I contacted them and by gosh, they, are coming!

What do you do in your free time?

I am a real traveler, I love to travel and do as much as I can. I also really like to bike, that is also a form a travel, isn’t it? I have to say being the geek that I am I do a lot of reading and whenever I have spare time, which is not during the semester that is a fact, I just can’t wait to read all the stuff that I haven’t been able to read. I am also really fascinated with politics. All of those things are my passions, but I do have to say I do not know where I got so interested in politics but I am absolutely a freak when it comes to it.

What has been your fondest memory at Regis?

I have only been here for about sixteen years, and I would have to say that I have met some of the finest most beautiful people in my life here.

What is your favorite Jesuit Value?

‘How Ought We to Live,' it is what you stand for and how you are supposed to live and when you look back over your life what can you say about who you were and what you have done? I think that is what always attracted me to Regis was that sort of the self-reflection that is encouraged here.