Pussy Riot Storms Russia Pavilion at Venice Biennale
Pussy Riot staged a protest at the Russia Pavilion in the Venice Biennale’s Giardini at 11 a.m., using pink smoke, Ukrainian flags, and chants including “Disobey!” and “Blood is Russia’s art!” to denounce Russia’s return to the event. Around 15 members of the feminist punk art collective, joined by roughly 50 protesters including members of the Ukrainian activist group Femen, occupied the area for about 20 minutes, with some climbing the pavilion and waving flags. Founder Nadya Tolokonnikova called for the official Russian exhibition to be closed and for the pavilion to be given to “oppressed peoples,” and she invited Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco to meet her while questioning whether financial ties were driving the Biennale’s stance. The article notes that Russia’s return, announced in March after a four-year hiatus following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has prompted backlash, including the European Union’s withdrawal of €2 million ($2.3 million) in funding for the 2028 edition.
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This story was covered in Biennale Uprisings, Looted Legacies Unravel