Formed in New York City in 1985, the Guerrilla Girls emerged following a protest against the Museum of Modern Art. The collective maintains anonymity by wearing gorilla masks in public and adopting the names of deceased female artists, a strategy designed to keep the focus on their political message rather than individual identities.

The group is best known for their graphic, text-heavy posters that utilize statistics and biting humor to highlight the underrepresentation of women and artists of color in major museums and galleries. Their work spans various media, including street art, public installations, and performance, often functioning as a form of institutional critique.

The collective continues to be recognized for their long-standing activism and their influence on contemporary discourse regarding equity and diversity in cultural institutions. Their work remains a staple of institutional critique and feminist art history.