Nadezhda Tolokonnikova
About
Russian conceptual artist and political activist who is known for being a member of the Anarchist Feminist group Pussy Riot as well as the street art group Voina. She is most recognized for her performance at the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior where she and other members of the group held a "Punk Prayer" for which they were arrested.
Before Fame
With a passion for literature and art, she enrolled in the philosophy department of Moscow State University. She first joined the Voina street art collective in 2007. She earned further recognition when she joined the activism group Pussy Riot where she participated in several demonstrations including Punk Prayer for which she was arrested. While in jail, she wrote letters and participated in hunger strikes to bring attention to the corrupted system.
Trivia
She is the co-winner of the Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought in 2014. She was also a part of the documentary feature film following her Punk Prayer performance which premiered at Sundance in 2013.
Family Life
She married Pyotr Verzilov, a fellow artist who earned recognition for storming the field of the 2018 World Cup final. Together they had a daughter named Gera in 2008.
Associated With
She and fellow member Maria Aluokhina appeared in Chapter 29 of the Netflix original series House of Cards alongside Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, and Michael Kelly where she criticized a fictional representation of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
