Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist protest and performance art group based in Moscow that became popular for its provocative punk rock music, which later turned into a more accessible style. Founded in August 2011, it has had a membership of approximately 11 women. The group staged unauthorized, provocative guerrilla gigs in public places.  The group’s lyrical themes included feminism, LGBT rights, and opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The group gained global notoriety when five members of the group staged a performance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2012. The group’s actions were condemned as sacrilegious by the Orthodox clergy, and two of the group’s members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, were arrested and charged with hooliganism. Later Pussy Riot continued developing a punk methodology by working with prisoners, making highly politicizes audio-visual and performance art pieces.