Grrrl Germs: Punk feminism goes viral, 1991–2026

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“Grrrl Germs: Punk feminism goes viral, 1991–2026,” curated by Astria Suparak, presented by Daisy Chain Fields, at Great Park Gallery, Irvine, CA, 2026. Photo by Yubo Dong, ofstudio.

Grrrl Germs: Punk feminism goes viral, 1991–2026

Curated by Astria Suparak
Daisy Chain Fields, Great Park Gallery, Irvine, CA
Aug. 29 — Nov. 29, 2026
https://www.daisychainfields.com/page/grrrl-germs

Grrrl Germs: Punk Feminism Goes Viral, 1991–2026 explores Riot Grrrl’s global legacy of DIY artistic expression, community-building, and resistance. Through music, zines, fliers, videos, and a collaborative map, the exhibition traces how a movement started by young women in the early 1990s grew internationally, inspiring new generations of artists and activists.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Daisy Chain Fields is a music festival founded on the belief that joy, community, and creativity can inspire meaningful change. The festival celebrates the voices, artistry, and contributions of women in music, fostering an inclusive environment in which all are welcome. Net proceeds from the festival are directed toward nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls.

CURATORIAL TEXT

Riot Grrrl was forged by teenage girls and young women in the United States as an act of creative resistance to an earlier era of virulent sexism in the punk music scene and in the culture at large. Adapting strategies from earlier queer and punk feminisms and 1970s radical politics, riot grrrls started bands regardless of musical training, wrote and self-published their own magazines via 3-cent photocopies, and formed support groups with other girls beginning in the early 1990s. Soon they established wider networks through letter-writing and in-person meetings, coordinated volunteer-run conferences to celebrate female artistry and share information, and arranged benefits for political causes. Riot Grrrl rapidly spread across the U.S. and eventually to over 30 countries on six continents. 

Each Riot Grrrl scene was a response to their specific location, era, and political climate. In 2000, some of the trailblazing grrrls organized Ladyfest in Olympia, Washington, as a platform for music, performance, visual art, film, and workshops by female and transgender artists. A year later, Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls was founded in Portland, Oregon, to teach younger girls and genderqueer youth how to play musical instruments and write songs. Locally-organized Ladyfests and Girls Rock Camps can be found internationally today.

In Turkey, Chaos, I’m Your Mistress was an online punk and metal community for women and non-binary individuals that held Ladyfest shows in Istanbul and launched a feminist music label. In a village in Nepal, The Infoshop housed a radical library and a record label, and provided self-defense training for local Dalit girls. In the Philippines, Rural Women Advocates organizes journaling workshops for female agricultural workers and collectively stitches banners advocating for land rights and against militarization. These are a few examples of how riot grrrls have continued to collaboratively cultivate safe spaces and grassroots creative production.

Grrrl Germs is an exhibition showcasing the creativity and passion behind the punk feminist movement Riot Grrrl, and how it radiated globally across 35 years. It features five listening areas with a sampling of music from around the world created or influenced by Riot Grrrl bands; fliers that provide a glimpse into the variety of community-building and activist events; a selection of handmade and self-produced zines; and a collaborative map tracking Riot Grrrl chapters, Ladyfest gatherings, and related endeavors. This is a living history, not a sealed past.

The original movement’s rousing call for girls’ and women’s rights, and its encouragement of DIY artistic expression still resonate, inspiring new generations. The exhibition’s title, Grrrl Germs, is adapted from the song and fanzine “Girl Germs” by the pivotal band Bratmobile (now based in Los Angeles). The title reflects the infectious nature of Riot Grrrl, emboldening us to rebel against oppression and evolve into better citizens for our communities.

Grrrl Germs: Punk feminism goes viral, 1991–2026 is curated by Astria Suparak and presented by Daisy Chain Fields, with special thanks to C3 Presents and the City of Irvine.

Supported by LOEWE.

Event technology, engineering, and technical production services provided courtesy of Creative Technology. 

Headphones provided courtesy of Bose.

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EXHIBITION CREDITS

Curator: Astria Suparak

Graphic Design: Justin Carder. Typeface: Anthony designed by Sun Young Oh, from open-source collective Velvetyne.

Exhibition Design: Dutra Brown Studio. Design Team: Dutra Brown & Aliah Werth.

Technical Direction: TAIT

Furniture Fabrication: Tractor Vision

Graphics Printing: Mouse Graphics

Video Editors: Haylee Loudenslager and Paul Baudouin, C3

Latin American music research assistance: Michelle Felix, Elisa Gargiulo

The curator would like to thank the musicians, lenders, and contributors; Olivia Rodrigo, Jaime Gerin, and the Daisy Chain Fields team; C3; Great Park Gallery and the City of Irvine; Brett Kashmere; and Anthony Elms.

Grrrl Germs continues archival research conducted for the exhibition Alien She, curated by Astria Suparak and Ceci Moss (2013–16).

TRAILER

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PRESS

Agência Maurício Tragtenberg, “Olivia Rodrigo raises US$20 million for women’s causes,” Livia Vilela, Sept. 2, 2026 (Brazil)

Dazed, “Fashion News Highlights, September 2026,” Isobel Van Dyke, Sept. 4, 2026

ELLE, “Culture Watch: What to See and Where to Go in September,” Matthew Velasco, Sept. 8, 2026 (republished by Yahoo! Life)

L’OFFICIEL, “Loewe Commits To Supporting Grrrl Germs Exhibition,” Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez, Sept. 10, 2026

Los Angeles Times (and Times OC), “Daisy Chain Fields festival highlights not only female artists, but the O.C. community,” Sarah Mosqueda, Sept. 4, 2026

LOUD WOMEN, “Daisy Chain Fields – LOUD WOMEN heads to Olivia Rodrigo’s festival of sisterhood and solidarity,” Aug. 27, 2026

NPR, “Olivia Rodrigo’s women-led Daisy Chain Fields puts its politics center stage,” Jenn Pelly, Sept. 2, 2026
(republished by LAist)

Radio Republik Indonesia, “Grrrl Gang Achieves International Acclaim, Enters California’s ‘Grrrl Germs’ Exhibition,” Mochamad Khoirul Mahsan Hadi, Aug. 27, 2026

Texx and the City, “South African artists featured in new Riot Grrrl exhibition in California,” TACT Staff, Sept. 1, 2026

The Orange County Register, “Art installations to check out at Daisy Chain Fields Music Festival,” Holly Alvarado, Aug. 28, 2026

Yahoo, “Olivia Rodrigo made a music festival for women. Obviously, it ruled.,” Neia Balao, Sept. 2, 2026

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