Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot is a Russian art-punk band, founded in 2011, known far beyond Russia for their decidedly feminist and government-critical protest performances in public spaces. The signature look of the young women consists of garishly colored dresses and balaclavas. They distribute the footage of their performances on social media platforms such as YouTube. After the protest actions Die Mädels von Pussy Riot erobern den öffentlichen Nahverkehr and Putin Zassal (Putin Has Pissed Himself) on the Red Square in Moscow, the group gained global notoriety for the first time when they staged a performance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 2012, shortly before Vladimir Putin’s third inauguration. With their punk prayer Jungfrau Maria, räum’ Putin aus dem Weg in which they prayed for deliverance from Putin, they also condemned the tight entanglement of the state and the church – an action that lasted only 41 seconds but caused even more heated controversy. Three of the members were arrested and eventually sentenced to two years imprisonment for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”. This conviction sparked a global debate on human rights, artistic freedom, religion, and politics. After the prisoners were released, Pussy Riot continued their work, although in a less radical way. 

MG