nadya tolokonnikova + will evans in conversation

saturday, 09 december 2023

3.00 pm - 4.00 pm

free admission

161 glass st.

join us on saturday, 09 december from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm for a dynamic conversation between conceptual performance artist and activist nadya tolokonnikova and award-winning publisher, writer, and literary arts advocate will evans. their discussion will delve into the intersection of art and politics, particularly within the context of russian and other traditions.

about nadya tolokonnikova

conceptual performance artist and activist nadya tolokonnikova is the creator of pussy riot, a global feminist protest art movement. today, hundreds of people identify as a part of the pussy riot community. 

she was sentenced in 2012 to 2 years' imprisonment following an anti-putin performance. went through a hunger strike protesting savage prison conditions and ended up being sent far away to a siberian penal colony, where she managed to maintain her artistic activity and, with her prison punk band, she made a tour around siberian labor camps. 

published a book "read and riot: pussy riot's guide to activism". co-founder of independent news service and media outlet, mediazona, co-founder of the art-collecting collective unicorn dao, instrumental in raising over $7 million for ukraine, she has spoken before the us congress, british parliament, european parliament, appeared as herself on season 3 of house of cards, performed at banksy's “dismaland” exhibition. 

pussy riot's punk prayer was named by the guardian among the best art pieces of the 21st century ("feminist, explicitly anti-putin, protesting the banning of gay pride and the orthodox church’s support of the president"),, endorsed by marina abramovic, judy chicago and ai weiwei, created an immersive experience in london’s saatchi gallery, curated the auction “my body, my business” at sotheby’s etc. 

her protest art nft "virgin mary, please become a feminist" and the putin’s ashes art installation at deitch gallery in january 2023 propelled her into a new criminal case and put on russia’s most wanted criminal list. 

pussy riot stands for gender fluidity, inclusivity, matriarchy, love, laughter, decentralization, anarchy, and anti-authoritarianism.

born: norilsk, siberia, russia

about will evans

in 2013, will evans moved to dallas and founded deep vellum, a nonprofit publishing house, bookstore, and literary arts center, dedicated to bringing the world into conversation through literature by publishing the world’s vital stories by underrepresented writers, and cultivating a lifelong love of reading through creative programming and outspoken advocacy for the literary arts. he was awarded clmp's golden colophon award for paradigm independent publishing in 2019, and was admitted to the texas institute of letters in 2022. a native of wilmington, north carolina, he received ba degrees in history and russian literature from emory university, and an ma in russian culture from duke university.