Pussy Riot
A Russian feminist punk rock group that has staged numerous unauthorized provocative guerrilla performances in various public locations, Pussy Riot has shook the world in 2012 with their protest performance in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior directed at Orthodox Church’s support for Vladimir Putin. They have dealt with various politically charged themes such as feminism, LGBT rights, democracy, freedom of speech and opposition to Vladimir Putin. The Pussy Riot trial after their ‘punk prayer’ and a jail sentence for their members presented an even more obscene performance of state power and became a symbol of the battle against Putin’s oppressive regime. Their political action through performance art is an example of how the power of the state and authoritarian policies can often produce some of the most provocative art practices.
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