Russian Authorities Target Pussy Riot Over Controversial NFT Art

A 2021 NFT artwork depicting the Virgin Mary by activist artist Nadya Tolokonnikova has led to criminal charges against Pussy Riot for "hurting the religious feelings" of Russian citizens, according to a press release from the group. Tolokonnikova, well-known as the face and voice of the Russian feminist protest and performance art group, has been added to a wanted list by the Russian Interior Ministry, as reported by the Associated Press.

Offending religious citizens in Russia became a criminal offense following a 2012 Pussy Riot protest. The NFT at the center of the current controversy, titled "Virgin Mary, Please Become a Feminist," portrays the Christian icon surrounded by anatomical details of the female external genitalia. The artwork is superimposed over a scan of Tolokonnikova's arrest papers from the 2012 incident.

Tolokonnikova spent more than two years in a prison camp after the 2012 protest, which took place in a Moscow church and was documented in a short film. The event led to the enactment of a new law in Russia that addresses the religious component, now known as the "Pussy Riot Law." The latest criminal case falls under this law.

Tolokonnikova stated that the recent action seems to have been triggered by her latest art exhibit, "Putin's Ashes," which debuted at the Jeffrey Deitch gallery in Los Angeles in January and closed early the following month. She remarked, "Any truly political artist risks their personal safety for the sake of their art—it is not a new concept for me. But maybe the first time art from an NFT is being used as evidence to try to throw someone in jail."

Despite recent police detentions of her friends and family members, Tolokonnikova maintains that she is not afraid. "I will use the tools I have as an artist and crypto enthusiast to keep fighting," she said. "I'm not a soldier, I'm an artist. Art is my weapon.”

As a seasoned artist and activist, Tolokonnikova has effectively harnessed decentralized technologies to amplify her impact. In March 2022, she co-founded UnicornDAO, raising over $4 million to support marginalized artists and underrepresented groups in Web3. She has also protested for reproductive rights in Texas.

However, her primary focus remains on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war on Ukraine. Tolokonnikova played a crucial role in launching UkraineDAO, which sold an NFT of the Ukrainian flag for over $6 million to aid Ukraine's resistance and relief efforts. She concluded, "They threaten us but we cannot show fear. Glad to see they are scared.”