The Woman with the Mattress: The Radical History of Anti-Rape Art 2026

In September 2014, Emma Sulkowicz began to carry a blue mattress weighing 23kg around her university campus. The mattress was similar to the ones New York’s Columbia University used in its dorm rooms, where Sulkowicz said she had been raped by a fellow student two years earlier. Her performance/endurance artwork constituted her visual art senior thesis, drawing attention to the lack of criminal charges brought against her alleged attacker and his continued presence at the university. As she hauled it across campus, others could choose to assist her with her burden. Many did. She recorded responses to the piece in a diary. “I could have taken my pillow,” she told the writer Jessica Valenti at the time. “But I want people to see how it weighs down a person to be ignored by the school administration and harassed by police.” Sulkowicz would carry the mattress, she said, for as long as her alleged attacker remained at Columbia. And so she ended up carrying it all the way to graduation where, helped by other women, she took it on stage. The university president refused to shake her hand, turning away from her instead. Footage of Mattress Performance (Carry That Weight) went viral in 2014, just as the momentum for #MeToo was building. Now the performance piece has gone viral again, in response to public fury at another allegation of campus rape.

The Radical History of Anti-Rape Art

Art has long been a powerful medium for social commentary, and anti-rape art is no exception. From the 1970s feminist art movement to contemporary performance pieces, artists have used their work to challenge rape culture, demand justice, and give voice to survivors. This radical history is characterized by rage, resilience, and a refusal to be silenced.

Key Moments in Anti-Rape Art

• 1970s: Feminist artists like Suzanne Lacy and Judy Chicago brought attention to violence against women through installations and performance.
• 1980s: The Guerrilla Girls used posters and billboards to expose gender inequality in the art world and beyond.
• 2010s: Emma Sulkowicz’s Mattress Performance became a global symbol of campus rape activism.
• 2020s: Digital art and social media amplify survivor stories, creating viral movements like #MeToo.

The Impact of Mattress Performance

Sulkowicz’s piece transcended the art world, sparking conversations about campus sexual assault and institutional betrayal. It also inspired other survivors to share their stories, contributing to the cultural shift that made #MeToo a global phenomenon. The work’s endurance aspect—carrying the mattress for months—mirrored the persistent trauma survivors endure.

Comparing Anti-Rape Art Movements

Why It Matters Today

In an era where rape culture persists, anti-rape art remains vital. It challenges victim-blaming, demands accountability, and creates space for survivors to be heard. As Sulkowicz’s mattress resurfaces in public discourse, it reminds us that art can be a catalyst for change.

FAQ

What is Mattress Performance (Carry That Weight)?

Mattress Performance (Carry That Weight) was a 2014 endurance artwork by Emma Sulkowicz, who carried a mattress around Columbia University to protest the university’s handling of her rape allegation.

How did anti-rape art influence the #MeToo movement?

Anti-rape art raised public awareness and empathy for survivors, creating a cultural foundation that helped the #MeToo movement gain momentum and demand systemic change.

What are some other examples of anti-rape art?

Other examples include Suzanne Lacy’s Three Weeks in May (1977), which mapped reported rapes in Los Angeles, and the Guerrilla Girls’ posters exposing gender inequality in the art world.

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