Pyotr Pavlensky: Power Reveals Itself When Art Stops Obeying

In a 2026 interview with Artribune, Russian dissident artist Pyotr Pavlensky (born 1984, Saint Petersburg) discusses his practice, which he terms 'subject-object art,' and his refusal of the label 'political art.' Pavlensky, known for his 2012 performance outside Kazan Cathedral with his lips sewn shut in solidarity with Pussy Riot, argues that artistic freedom does not exist in either Russia or France. He claims that France treats contemporary art as political propaganda and cites the appointment of Serge Lasvignes, a former intelligence official, as president of the Centre Pompidou from 2015 to 2021 as evidence. Pavlensky left Russia in late 2016 and now lives in France, where he says repression methods are more sophisticated and even crueler. In December 2025, he published 'Subject-Object Art Theory,' a book defining his practice. He criticizes other artists for having forgotten what independence means and asserts that his art forces power to work for art. He acknowledges that his exhibitions have been mediocre due to his focus on events, and he plans to address this. Regarding his work 'Pornopolitics,' he notes that French authorities launched a three-year campaign of judicial persecution and disinformation to destroy it, but he claims they did not fully succeed.