Nadya Tolokonnikova

Nadya Tolokonnikova is a conceptual artist, political activist, and founding member of the feminist art collective Pussy Riot, globally recognized for her provocative performances challenging established power structures. After joining the Voina art collective in 2007, Tolokonnikova participated in several public performances, including the controversial ‘Fuck for the heir Puppy Bear!’ in February 2008, a satirical commentary on political calls for increased reproduction, conducted while she was pregnant. She also engaged in actions such as ‘Operation Kiss Garbage’ from January to March 2011, which involved kissing policewomen in Moscow. In 2011, Tolokonnikova co-founded the feminist art collective Pussy Riot, which quickly gained international recognition for its provocative political protests.

In 2022, Tolokonnikova founded Unicorn DAO, a pioneering decentralized autonomous organization committed to empowering female, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ artists in the Web3 space through non-fungible tokens (NFTs), addressing gender disparities within digital art. Her ongoing activism has continued to draw international scrutiny; in March 2023, the Russian Interior Ministry added Tolokonnikova to its wanted list, and an arrest warrant was issued in absentia by a Moscow court in November 2023, underscoring the enduring political implications of her work.