Pussy Riot Campaigns to Replace Russia's Venice Biennale Pavilion with Political Prisoner Art

Pussy Riot is advocating for the replacement of Russia's official exhibition at the Venice Biennale with "Resistance Imprisoned," showcasing artwork from nearly 30 imprisoned Russian artists and three former detainees. This exhibition debuted at Ritsche-Fisch Galerie in Strasbourg on April 19 and will be open until May 31, featuring pieces made from limited materials such as envelopes, toothpaste-treated bedding, and blood. Founder Nadya Tolokonnikova, who endured almost two years in a penal colony following a 2012 protest, emphasizes that political prisoners represent "the best of Russians," viewing their support as a "sacred duty." The official Russian pavilion, "The Tree is Rooted in the Sky," includes over 50 young creatives. Following Russia's return to the Biennale after its withdrawal in February 2022, the E.U. Commission warned on April 10 that the event could lose a €2 million grant if issues aren't resolved by May 11. The Biennale's leadership, which changed in 2024, declared in March its stance against censorship in culture and art. Since 2019, Anastasia Karneeva, daughter of a Rostec deputy chief executive and former head of Christie's Moscow, has served as the pavilion's commissioner. The mint green pavilion in Venice's Giardini was vacant in 2022 and was loaned to Bolivia in 2024.