On Wednesday morning, Pussy Riot and FEMEN led a protest outside the Russian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, chanting slogans like “Russia kills! Biennale exhibits!” and “Blood is Russia’s art!” Dozens of protesters, some in pink balaclavas and others bare-chested with floral crowns, gathered in the Giardini under light rain, carrying guitars and blasting punk rock and hip-hop. The action was organized by Nadya Tolokonnikova and other Pussy Riot members alongside FEMEN, a Ukrainian-founded women’s movement. They released pink, yellow, and blue smoke, and Tolokonnikova criticized the Biennale for allowing Russian participation while artists who oppose the war in Ukraine are imprisoned. She proposed an alternative exhibition, “Resistance Imprisoned,” currently on view in Strasbourg, featuring incarcerated artists.
The protest matters because it highlights the ongoing controversy over Russia’s return to the Venice Biennale after a two-edition absence, amid its war in Ukraine. The action underscores tensions between free expression and political propaganda in the art world, with 22 European politicians signing an open letter calling Russia’s presence “deeply troubling.” By linking the pavilion to state violence and imprisonment, Pussy Riot and FEMEN challenge the Biennale’s neutrality and question whether art can be separated from the politics of the country it represents. The protest also draws attention to the plight of imprisoned artists in Russia, making a broader statement about censorship and human rights.