Think back to the first time you ever heard about Pussy Riot. The first time you saw those images of Russian women in ski masks, somewhat jarring in 2011 when they were founded, and remember how you felt. An upcoming experience from Les Enfants Terribles theatre company will bring fans of Pussy Riot's movement and mission full circle, placing them in the shoes of members of the protest punk group.
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Inside Pussy Riot will coincide with the Saatchi Gallery's Art Riot: Post Soviet Actionism exhibition, and will detail the obstacles Nady Tolokonnikova, Pussy Riot's founder, had to overcome, including dealing with a harsh, unreceptive Russian government.
"Inside Pussy Riot shows you what prison, prosecution of political activists and police oppression look like. It also reminds you what democracy, on the contrary, looks like," said Tolokonikova in a release. "And when I say 'democracy,' I mean real democracy, which is about direct participation of citizens. Inside Pussy Riot plunges you into the totality of an authoritarian system--if you do not choose real democracy and participation, authoritarianism chooses you."
The exhibition and immersive experience come on the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, striking a poignant chord. Notable political movements of the past are celebrated alongside one of the most notable contemporary movements, all while reports of the Chechen gay purge and LGBTQ discrimination in Russia abound. Inside Pussy Riot opens November 14 and runs through December 24 at London's Saatchi Gallery.
