The Full Story of Pussy Riot. From the Punk Prayer to a World Tour in Support of Ukraine

Forwarded From Meduza — Books

The Full Story of Pussy Riot. From the Punk Prayer to a World Tour in Support of Ukraine

This year we published three books by activist, artist, and Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina. They tell not only the story of an unknown punk group becoming an international phenomenon, but also how political resistance in Russia changed over the course of 10 years, from 2012 to 2022. Each book can be described both as Alyokhina’s diary and as a full-fledged chronicle: personal and emotional notes about friends and loved ones are invaded by news headlines, тревожные tweets, and Telegram posts.

Here is our look at each book:

✽ “Riot Days”

Time period: 2012

January 2012: the members of Pussy Riot rehearse at an abandoned factory and stage their very first actions. Then come the punk prayer at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the high-profile trial, which ended with the introduction into the Russian Criminal Code of an article on offending the feelings of believers and prison sentences for Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. The absurdity of the judicial system, pressure from the security services, and support from Madonna are all shown in the book in the first person.

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✽ “Political. The Point of No Return”

Time period: 2014 — 2020

December 2013: Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova walk out of Penal Colony No. 2 as global stars, backed by David Byrne, Patti Smith, and Paul McCartney. The annexation of Crimea, the launch of Mediazona amid intensifying political repression, rallies, and protests are only a small part of the book.

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✽ “Political. How to Survive in out of Russia”

Time period: 2020 — 2022

October 2020: an LGBT flag hangs on the FSB building at Lubyanka. Pussy Riot carry out new high-profile actions, the “rainbow diversion” and “caution, fragile.” What follows are endless carousel arrests, conversations with police that are funny in places and sad in others, court hearings, and February 24, 2022. The book’s final point is Alyokhina’s legendary escape from Russia in a courier’s uniform.

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