Nadya Tolokonnikova, an original founding member of the Russian protest group and performance art collective Pussy Riot, received a medal of honorary patronage in a ceremony on Tuesday, January 27th. The event was chaired by Marin Henley, Chair of the Elizabethan Subcommittee of the Phil (the Eliz). Henley’s opening statement for the event offered the medal to Tolokonnikova due to her history with “activism, art and political discourse”.
Pussy Riot began with Tolokonnikova and 11 other women, most of which were members of previous anarchist and performance art groups. The group gained international attention after a February 2012 protest in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which involved a guerrilla musical gig with anti-establishment lyrics. Tolokonnikova and several other women were arrested following the performance and tried for hooliganism, which further cemented the group’s popularity among protestors and activists. As of December 2025, the group has been declared an extremist organisation and most publicly identified members are banned from Russia.
Henley began the interview portion of the event by asking Tolokonnikova about her time in a Russian penal colony. Tolokonnikova shared that she was given her sentence because she “refused to be complicit in silence”, but admitted that “being in jail really changed [her] a lot”. She went on in further detail about her 2 years behind bars, including her experience with violent cellmates, unfair prison guards, and constant moving-around to new facilities.
In regards to why she considers herself a radical and why she chooses to show radical ideas through art, Tolokonnikova admitted that while around “1 per cent of the population” is radical, activists “must make an effort to connect with the other 99 per cent”.
When asked about what is perhaps Pussy Riot’s most famous protest, a musical performance at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour that harshly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church, Tolokonnikova said “[Pussy Riot] felt like the Church was being abused”. Further, she stated that the protest was motivated by “really shitty behaviour by the Russian Orthodox Church…they work really closely with the Russian Government.” Tolokonnikova specified, when asked, that she was not involved in any organised religion.
Much of the interview was focused on Tolokonnikova’s evolving relationship with the feminist movement, and her opinions on feminism in the United States. In regards to recent strides with the Russian feminist movement, Tolokonnikova admitted that “we did good”. She elaborated in a historical context, mentioning how Russia was one of the first countries to give women the right to vote after the Russian Revolution, as well as access to abortion. Joseph Stalin, however, “held the country back”, to the activist. Tolokonnikova was also asked by Henley about her opinions on the overturning of the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v Wade. Before answering the question, Tolokonnikova turned the question over to Henley, who admitted that she was “shocked” after witnessing the decision on the news in 2022. Tolokonnikova herself called the overall outcry and response from the American feminist movement after Roe v Wade’s dismissal as “underwhelming”.
Henley followed this up by asking whether or not Tolokonnikova felt “responsible” for women and the feminist movement in Russia with her art. “Most of the time” she answered, adding that she was trying to “free [her] art from guilt and responsibility.”
In regards to Pussy Riot recently being labelled a terrorist organisation by the Russian Ministry of Justice, Tolokonnikova replied simply, “that is fine”, further adding that “there’s a lot of people who want to support Pussy Riot back home”.
Tolokonnikova, when asked by Henley if she felt a sense of accomplishment after being labelled so harshly by her home government, said that, as a group, “obviously, we’re not violent…violence for [Russia] is not going along with the administration.”
When asked about the current state of the world, Tolokonnikova stated that she was unhappy, particularly with the United States government. She praised protests of recent American immigration crackdowns and compared them to anti-establishment protests in Russia.
“I am a pessimist. I have a reason to be a pessimist”, said Tolokonnikova, going into detail about a friend and fellow activist who was murdered by “neo-Nazis”.
Yet despite her pessimism, Tolokonnikova emphasised the “resilience and fun” that lies behind each of her performances.
“Anger internalised is not useful”, she said. “I not only drag myself from despair, but take others too”.
The conversation finished with Tolokonnikova offering advice to young activists and those simply trying to prevent themselves from falling into “despair”.
“Organise!” said Tolokonnikova. “Get off the phone!”
“I would rather spend time with my dog”, she acknowledged, “but I push myself…It’s hard to keep organising on longer terms, but consistency is what makes resistance last”.
