Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot's Russia at the Haus der Kunst

Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot's Russia at Haus der Kunst is the largest presentation to date of the artistic collective's work and the first museum exhibition in Germany dedicated to Pussy Riot. It poses the pressing question of what resistance means in art and which stories must be an essential part of exhibitions today.

• Pussy Riot transform the repressive tools of an authoritarian state into a collaborative force for creativity
• The artistic collective is reinventing media language with this fundamental chapter of recent history
• Handwritten texts merge with a flood of videos and photographs, with humor, punk and noise.

This is Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot. That's the name of the famous female punk group that repeatedly demonstrated against Putin in Russia. The Haus der Kunst in Munich is now telling the story of Pussy Riot.

Pussy Riot's significance lies not only in their music, but also in their courageous political activism. Since their founding, they have vehemently opposed Vladimir Putin's authoritarian leadership, using their art as a means of resistance.

Her provocative actions and energetic performances have attracted worldwide attention and made her a symbol of the fight for freedom of expression and human rights.

By depicting the increasingly hostile relationship between the feminist art collective and the state authorities, the exhibition offers essential insights into the development of Putin's Russia over the last decade, culminating in the military invasion of Ukraine.

Over the years, Pussy Riot have transformed the repressive tools of an authoritarian state into a collaborative force for creativity through their artistic practice, fearlessly taking risks in the process.

Upheaval is always a matter of beauty. In school, I had this dream of becoming a graffiti artist, and I practiced graffiti in my school notebook. If you start your schoolwork on the front page and do the sketches in the back, the two eventually meet in the middle. AND GRAFFITI APPEARS NEXT TO YOUR HISTORY NOTES, which transforms the story into a different story

– Maria Alyokhina

The exhibition at the Haus der Kunst offers a profound insight into the group's origins, their artistic projects, and the impact of their actions on Russian society and the global community. Through video recordings, music, photographs, and personal belongings, visitors are taken on a journey through Pussy Riot's eventful history.

Particularly impressive is the juxtaposition of their artworks with historical and political contexts, which highlights their significance and allows the viewer to develop a deeper understanding of the commitment and the dangers to which the members of the group are exposed.

The exhibition invites further exploration of the topic by referring to additional study materials and sources that paint a more comprehensive picture of the situation in Russia and the role of art as a means of protest.

For art and culture enthusiasts who wish to explore the intersection between art and political activism, this exhibition offers a valuable and inspiring opportunity.

Pussy Riot's rise to fame and relevance

Pussy Riot was founded in 2011 and is a Russian feminist punk protest group. It consists of approximately 11 women, with members changing regularly. The group advocates for feminism and LGBT rights, and criticizes the regime of Vladimir Putin as well as the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Pussy Riot is committed to democratic principles such as freedom of expression, the right to criticize the government, and freedom of the press. They reject capitalism and the selfish values ​​associated with it.

Pussy Riot's protest strategy includes guerrilla concerts in public squares, where they perform punk-style protest songs. The striking colors of their now-iconic costumes are intended to spread joy and motivate others to rise up and protest together.

Pussy Riot's goal is to create a more democratic society in Russia without the authoritarian rule of Vladimir Putin.

Putin Zassel in Moscow (2012)

Their first performance on January 20, 2012, in Red Square in Moscow caused a nationwide sensation. There they performed the song “Putin Zassel” , which roughly translates to “Putin got scared”.

This performance was inspired by the December protests against Putin, in which over 100,000 demonstrators took to the streets and were confronted chaotically by security forces. The group told the Financial Times: “We saw troops around Moscow, helicopters in the air, the military on standby.” On that day, the regime showed its weakness – and the symbol of that regime is Putin.

Punk Prayer (2012) – A moment of global significance

On the morning of February 21, 2012, five young women from Pussy Riot entered Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The activists wore their signature sleeveless dresses, neon tights, and balaclava-style ski masks. They jumped onto the holy altar, took out their electric guitars, and began "Punk Prayer ." This song was an unusual blend of energetic punk music and traditional Orthodox chant, underscored by critical lyrics about the close ties between Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church.

In particular, the artists denounced the conservative, misogynistic and LGBT-hostile attitude of the church and made a direct appeal to the Mother of God to “overthrow” and “become a feminist”.

Punk Prayer – The original text (translated from Russian)

“Punk Prayer” – Pussy Riot

Black robe, golden epaulettes.
All members of the congregation crawl to bow.
The phantom of freedom is in heaven.
Gay Pride sent to Siberia in chains.
The head of the KGB, their chief saint,
leads demonstrators under escort to prison
so as not to offend His Holiness.
Women must bear and love.

Shit, shit, the Lord's shit!
Shit, shit, the Lord's shit!

(Chorus)
Virgin Mary, Mother of God, become a feminist.
Become a feminist, become a feminist.
(Final Chorus)

The Church's praise for lazy dictators.
The cross-bearer procession of black limousines.
A teacher-preacher will meet you at school.
Go to class – bring him money!
Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin.
Slut, you'd better believe in God.
The Marian Belt can't replace mass rallies.
Mary, the Mother of God, is with us in protest!

(Chorus)
The Virgin Mary, Mother of God, took Putin away
Put Putin away, put Putin away
(End choir)

The performance, though short-lived, had a profound impact on Russian politics and international public opinion. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alykhina, and Yekaterina Samutsevich were immediately arrested during the performance. They were denied bail and remained in custody until their trial at the end of July.

In a controversial trial, they were each sentenced to two years in prison for "religiously motivated hooliganism ." On appeal, Yekaterina Samutsevich was released because it emerged that she had never even reached the altar and therefore had not committed the acts she was accused of.

Tolokonnikova and Alykhina, however, lost their appeals and were transferred to two different Russian prisons.

This courageous action by Pussy Riot and the subsequent harsh punishment drew international attention to repression in Russia, human rights, and freedom of expression. The story of these young women is a powerful example of how art and activism can expose socio-political injustices and stimulate global discussion.

Details about the exhibition in Munich

The exhibition is presented in the LSK Gallery , which is located in the air-raid shelter of the Haus der Kunst, a place where the challenging past of the building, which opened in 1937, is particularly palpable.

“Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia” follows the solo exhibitions of African American artist Tony Cokes (2022) and the Indigenous, Australian-based film collective Karrabing (2023), which presented overlooked stories through new means of expression.

Like these two previous exhibitions in the former bunker, “Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia” aims to push the boundaries of exhibition design and create a dense experience that represents a fundamental chapter of recent history and the presentation of a groundbreaking practice that reinvents media language.

The exhibition invites visitors to take their time and experience a personal journey to read the texts handwritten on the walls by Maria Alyokhina in a room where a flood of videos and countless photographs merge in color, humor, punk and noise.

“Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia” at Haus der Kunst arose from passionate conversations with the Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, who first met Maria Alyokhina in Moscow. “Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia” is organized and touring by Maria Alyokhina and Kling & Bang, Reykjavik.

The Haus der Kunst has been planning the exhibition since the beginning of 2023. Curated by Ragnar Kjartansson, Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir and Dorothee Maria Kirch (Kling&Bang, Reykjavik); Lydia Antoniou, Andrea Lissoni and Margarita (Haus der Kunst Munich).