Party of the Dead's Pandemic Performance Actions Challenge Russian Quarantine Politics

On April 5, 2020, the performance group Party of the Dead, established by Maxim Evstropov and featuring Kristina Bubentsova, Maria Vonogova, and Maria Nelubova, presented 'The Dead in the Dead City,' defying self-isolation regulations. This collective portrays the deceased and has branches in Tomsk, Ufa, Moscow, and Berlin. Their artistic approach, rooted in necroaesthetics, draws inspiration from Yevgeny Yufit's Necrorealists and black metal culture. They staged a protest against constitutional amendments on June 21, 2020, titled 'Eternity Smells like Putin,' and reacted to funeral restrictions on May 31, 2020, with 'Let's not say bye, we'll see each other soon.' Based at Rosa's House of Culture, they examine labor issues and explore themes of death and political oppression.