Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia Abigail Rose & Lily Too

Catalog published in conjunction with Louisiana’s autumn 2023 exhibition featuring the feminist-activist art collective, Pussy Riot, which arose in Moscow in 2011 as a rebellion against the Russian regime. Hundreds of photos and video recordings depict a wide range of Pussy Riot’s actions in public space, as well as the consequences for the participants of carrying them out. The group’s non-violent actions have led to arrests, beatings, imprisonment, poisoning, surveillance and house arrest. This is the first time Pussy Riot is exhibiting in a museum.

Based on punk, humor, poetry and rage, Pussy Riot is world-renowned for sudden actions, where they challenge the Russian regime with brightly colored clothes, protest songs and disguises.

The group emerged in 2011 around the time when then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had announced that he was again running for the presidency in the upcoming Russian elections in March 2012. With politically based songs and actions, they try to call out both the population and the government.

In January 2012, they staged an action in Red Square in Moscow, where they performed a song mocking Vladimir Putin. Soon after, they did an action in the Church of the Savior in Moscow, where they ran up to the altar and performed a ” Punk Prayer “. A song where, among other things, they asked the Virgin Mary to step into character as a feminist and free Russia from Vladimir Putin. The pictures from the action went around the world.

As a consequence of the action in the Church of the Savior in Moscow, three of the group’s members were sentenced to two years in prison. They were charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”. The trial and the imprisonments received enormous international attention.

In addition to the anti-Putin and anti-system actions and songs, Pussy Riot is known for their bold and sophisticated humor in the fight for freedom of expression, equality, LGBTQ+ rights and attention to the oppression of the Russian population in a wider sense.

Pussy Riot operates with sudden actions with a surprise effect, which they document with photo and video recordings. They also release and tour punk music; publishes books; participates in debates and makes political speeches. In Denmark, they have performed at Vega, Folkemødet, Heartland Festival and Roskilde Festival, among others.

From a cultural historical perspective, Pussy Riot’s work has roots in Dada, Fluxus, political art and actionism in the 20th century, and they take the methods of happening and performance art to the extreme in the unprotected environment of public space.

Today, Pussy Riot is more of a movement than a defined collective. Pussy Riot is active in smaller groups and in different, uncoordinated projects all over the world, and the motto is that “everyone can be Pussy Riot”.

Dimensions: W: 21.2 x H: 29.8 cm
Pages: 208
Language: English
Publisher: Louisiana Publications