A Tale of Immersion and Resistance: Pussy Riot's Nadezhda Tolokonnikova at LA's Museum of Contemporary Art
Activist and Pussy Riot co-founder Tolokonnikova showcases her penal institution quarters in an American museum. - U.S. Museum Welcome Back Pussy Riot Co-Founder Tolokonnikova in Prison Setting
Step inside the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA, and you'll find Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, the powerhouse behind Pussy Riot, residing in a prison cell replica for ten days, from June 4 to 15, 2025. This arresting installation is part of MOCA's Wonmi WAREHOUSE Program and marks Tolokonnikova's debut durational performance at the museum.
Titled Police State, the performance aims to paint a disquieting portrait of confinement, control, and surveillance. Visitors can observe Tolokonnikova through surveillance cameras and peepholes, mirroring her lived experiences within a Russian prison system.
The performative installation served multiple purposes:
- A Symphony of Self-Regulation: Tolokonnikova's performance architects an immersive panopticon, a concept first conceived by philosopher Jeremy Bentham, to explore themes of confinement, control, and surveillance. The psychological impact of perpetual visibility is underscored, as viewers experience the same power dynamics inherent in real prison settings.
- Resistance through Art: Tolokonnikova subverts traditional power dynamics by positioning herself as both the observed and the observer. This artistic inversion critiques carceral systems and surveillance structures, transforming the panopticon into a resistant platform against oppressive surveillance.
- A Personal Testimony: Drawing on her two-year stint in a Russian prison, Tolokonnikova replicates the activities she undertook behind bars, such as sewing clothing. Her performances delve deep into the heart of her experiences, forcing viewers to sit with the somber reality of confinement.
For Tolokonnikova, the installation serves as a warning against the insidious creep of surveillance technology and the rise of police states. As an outspoken critic of authoritarian systems, she invites viewers to join her in a fight against the abuse of power. Her call to arms comes at a time when the United States, under the reign of President Donald Trump, experiences an erosion of the separation of powers, setting a dangerous precedent for an uncertain future.
Pussy Riot gained notoriety after a provocative protest performance at Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012, openly criticizing Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Several band members faced prison sentences, prompting them to seek refuge in exile.
In the end, Police State stands as a powerful testament to resilience, artistic resistance, and the fight for individual freedoms in the face of oppressive surveillance. Drawing on her own experiences and the historical legacy of the panopticon, Tolokonnikova's performance serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom at the intersection of art, politics, and personal experience.
[1] Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles. Issa Touma, Director.[2] Galinsky, A. (2025, May 31). MoCA pieces together Pussy Riot leader's political performance. Los Angeles Times.[3] Holmes, J. (2025, June 4). Pussy Riot's Nadezhda Tolokonnikova Locked up at LA's MOCA for 10 Days in Police State Performance. Artnet News.[4] Hancock, L. (2025, June 7). Los Angeles Times Reporter Visits Nadezhda Tolokonnikova in Police State Installation. LA Weekly.[5] Thompson, E. (2025, June 11). The Price of Freedom: Art, Self-regulation, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova's Police State Performance. The Art Newspaper.
- The founder of Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, returns to theUSmuseum (MOCA in Los Angeles) for ten days, from June 4 to 15, 2025, back to the prisoner cell replica she inhabits as part of her performance titled Police State.
- In an apparent critique of surveillance culture and carceral systems, the installation also highlights her personal experiences, showcasing her sewing clothing, a routine from her two-year prison stint in Russia.
- As the Los Angeles museum exhibition gains traction across social-media platforms, movie-and-TV stations, and entertainment outlets, celebrities and pop-culture enthusiasts draw attention to the Pussy Riot founder's artistic statement, demonstrating resistance through art in the face of oppressive surveillance.
