fbpx Pussy Riot (Nadya Tolokonnikova) | CIRCA

Nadezhda “Nadya” Andreyevna Tolokonnikova is a Russian musician, conceptual artist, author and political activist. She is a founding member of the anarchist feminist group Pussy Riot, and has a history of political activism with the street art group Voina. Her staunch activism in her home country of Russia saw her imprisoned in 2012 following a work of political performance art inside the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Throughout her career she has published books, written essays, released music and fought against corruption and human rights violations.​​ Co-founder of independent news service and media outlet, Mediazona, she has spoken before the US Congress, British Parliament and European Parliament. Awards include Time magazine, Women of the Year, 2012; LennonOno Grant for Peace, 2012; The Guardian, Best Art of the 21st Century, for 2012; The Punk Prayer political art piece, in 2019; and OutRight Action International Outstanding Award for her effort raising $7M in donation for Ukraine with the NFT Project Ukraine DAO, 2022.

Circa Commissions

Pussy Riot: The Bold And The Hopeful

In her new CIRCA 20:23 commission, ‘Nadya Means Hope,’ the artist and activist Nadya Tolonnikova reckons with how artistic gestures can achieve so much more than just aesthetic pleasure.

“I know that so many people in Russia actually want to choose the Western way of living. Which is more pleasant and civilised. I mean, I wouldn’t say civilised, fuck this word, more pleasant, to me personally. I’m not gonna get shot in the street for expressing my freedom of speech, right?” – said artist and activist Nadya Tolokonnikova, who was jailed in 2012 with two other members of Pussy Riot after they staged a protest against the Russian Orthodox Church’s and the Russian government. Tolonnikova traces back to me the rich Russian feminism history, with women fighting and successfully achieving the right to vote in 1917, following the revolution. The early socialist government also implemented progressive reforms for gender equality. However, with the rise of Stalinism, the government became violent, oppressive, and patriarchal. Tolokonnikova sees echoes of the early feminist movement in Russia today.

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