BEHIND EVERY GORILLA MASK...

Aphra Behn here. I am finally off the road, regrouping for my spring tour and taking some time to enjoy New York City.

Aphra Behn with Gerda Taro

I recently had the chance to don my gorilla mask for a photo shoot for the cover of a major magazine (which I cannot tell you about because it's all hush hush until it hits the news stands).

Being behind the mask, with my sister Guerrilla Girls, was cool.  It made me think about being anonymous and faceless and how that works for activists on many levels.

It's empowering - you can say whatever you want and not be afraid of being accused of saying what you said for purely personal gains.

It's fun to wear a costume - and be someone else for a while.

You are different - in a mask, your facial expressions are gone and you have only your body to communicate your humanity.

The downsides....

A mask is a barrier between you and another human being - they cannot tell if you are smiling or crying. There is a disconnect. (Which is why Guerrilla Girls On Tour redesigned our masks to show parts of our faces - as theatre artists we wanted to break down the barrier the mask creates.) 

It's hot and sweaty under all that rubber.  I am good for about an hour, then I can't wait to rip it off.

Was in my old mask for about two hours and even though my hair was a royal mess afterwards, it was super fun to hang with my fellow activists for a day. 

Here are Alejandra Pizarnik, Gene Stratton-Porter, Hilma af Klint, Josephine Baker, Alla Horska, Gerda Taro and Julia de Burgos - GG's at the photo shoot!

GG's all wear different masks

Relaxing pre photo shoot

Julia de Burgos

Aphra Behn

BONUS PHOTO!

We LOVE it when fans send photos.  Here is are artists - Lisa Porretti Smith, art history graduate, and her daughter Lucy Wijnands, jazz vocalalist on the march as Guerrilla Girls! #Gobananas