Years ago I belonged to a direct action group, The Lesbian
Avengers. Working together with a group of queer and feminist
women, I learned how to collaborate and connect private art
to political action. I also learned something about which rules
to follow and which rules to break. I see so much of myself
in the members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, and feel outraged
as these brave women are sent off to several years of hard labor.
I could absolutely be among them, as could so many of my outspoken
friends and students. As this fight for artistic freedom,
self-expression, and women's rights continues in Russia, I'm scrolling
through Rolling Stones' photo essay of Pussy Riot's trial:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/pussy-riot-their-trial-in-pictures-20120809
and following news here:
http://freepussyriot.org/
Pussy Riot is an anonymous Russian feminist performance art group formed in October 2011. Through a series of peaceful performances in highly visible places, the group has given voice to basic rights under threat in Russia today, while expressing the values and principles of gender equality, democracy and freedom of expression contained in the Russian constitution and other international instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the CEDAW Convention.
Avengers. Working together with a group of queer and feminist
women, I learned how to collaborate and connect private art
to political action. I also learned something about which rules
to follow and which rules to break. I see so much of myself
in the members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, and feel outraged
as these brave women are sent off to several years of hard labor.
I could absolutely be among them, as could so many of my outspoken
friends and students. As this fight for artistic freedom,
self-expression, and women's rights continues in Russia, I'm scrolling
through Rolling Stones' photo essay of Pussy Riot's trial:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/pussy-riot-their-trial-in-pictures-20120809
http://freepussyriot.org/
Pussy Riot is an anonymous Russian feminist performance art group formed in October 2011. Through a series of peaceful performances in highly visible places, the group has given voice to basic rights under threat in Russia today, while expressing the values and principles of gender equality, democracy and freedom of expression contained in the Russian constitution and other international instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the CEDAW Convention.
Detained members of the art group Pussy Riot (from right to left):
Maria Alekhina, age 24. Poet and student at the Institute of Journalism and Creative Writing. Mother of a 5 year-old boy.
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, age 22. Visual artist and 4th year Philosophy student. Mother of a 4 year-old girl.
Ekaterina Samucevich, age 29. Visual artist. Has a degree from The Alexander Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia in Moscow.
Comments