Welcome back to another Discovery of the Day! MSQ is the New Homepage for the Decentralized Web, so we have everything from DeFi and NFTs to Blockchain Games and Wallets for you to check out! From Monday to Friday, we bring you some of our top picks from across the cryptosphere and serve it up to you in the most fun and entertaining way imaginable! Today we feature the world’s most notorious activist collective. That’s right, it’s the legendary Pussy Riot!
The Motherland’s Troubled Past
Czar Nicholas II, Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin…there’s little doubt that Mother Russia is home to a wealth of history and culture. However, much of the country’s past is blood-soaked and characterized by significant amounts of human suffering. The Russian Revolution, the five-year plans for the development of the USSR under Stalin, the Kyshtym Disaster (bet you didn’t know about this one), the Chernobyl disaster (although this was actually Ukraine, it was once part of the USSR)…and that just spans the last few decades.
Uncle Joe, as he was affectionately known, was responsible for the deaths of millions of his own people
After the Cold War and the fall of communism, Boris Yeltsin became the first democratically elected leader of Russia in 1991. Eight years later, under immense pressure, Yeltsin resigned and chose Vladimir Putin as his successor. Putin served as President of Russia from 1999 to 2008 and reclaimed the position in 2012. In 2021, he still holds power. Putin has been criticized for silencing and imprisoning opponents, mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic, vehemently opposing same-sex marriage and dismantling the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community. As a result, many have come to see the Russian strongman as a tyrant hellbent on maintaining control and crushing dissident voices by any means necessary.
Vladimir Putin, current President of the Russian Federation
Straight Outta Russia
Pussy Riot circa 2012 (Photo credit: Igor Mukhin )
February 21st, 2012—Five women swaddled in long winter overcoats determinedly made their way into the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and ascended the pulpit. Situated along the Moscow River and just hundreds of meters from the Kremlin, this site is long considered the seat of the Russian Orthodoxy. Somewhat befitting this momentous event was the debut of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture some 130 years earlier.
Coats tossed aside revealing colorful clothing and donning their signature—and potentially cat pee stained —balaclavas, Pussy Riot set in motion a chain of events that would lead to their imprisonment and cement them as champions of free speech.
While dancing and singing ‘Mother Mary, drive Putin away,’ the five were promptly bum-rushed and escorted from the pulpit. Their ‘Punk Prayer’ was viewed by many as a direct attack on the Orthodox Church. Reportedly , only about 19% of Russians saw this performance as a protest against Pres. Vladimir Putin at the time.
Three of the five were ultimately arrested and charged with ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred,’ denied bail, and held for more than four months without a court hearing. They were subsequently sentenced to two years imprisonment in a women’s labor camp.
Since their release at the end of 2013, Pussy Riot has toured around the world and performed at major festivals including Glastonbury, Roskilde, Sziget, Riot Fest, Rock al Parque, Banksy’s Dismaland, Nova Rock, and Festival of Dangerous Ideas at The Sydney Opera House . Their favorite topics are gender fluidity, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, decentralization and anti-authoritarianism and politics of self. Pussy Riot served as grand marshals of Toronto gay pride, and performed at Prides in Los Angeles, New York, Vienna, Stockholm, Boston, and so on.
‘Feminist, explicitly anti-Putin, protesting the banning of gay pride and the Orthodox church’s support of the president…symbol of defiance in the face of freedoms lost.’ - Guardian named Pussy Riot among the best art of the 21st century
‘This eth goes directly to buying gasoline’
Pu$$y Riot NFTs is a collection of 333 NFTs on the Ethereum Blockchain. This collection entitled Virgin Mary, Please Become A Feminist, features Pussy Riot’s hand-drawn artwork overlaid across a digitized copy of Nadia’s 2012 prison sentencing documents and is inspired by their shared love for rebellion, plants, cows, and psychedelics. Also featured are several collaborations with NFT artist Trippy . Proceeds support victims of domestic violence in Russia, currently incarcerated political prisoners, and Pussy Riot’s own ongoing activism and art.
‘Pussy Riot is one of the most radical and important activist musical groups of all time. Their fearless blending of art and confrontation is a constant inspiration’ ~ Rage Against The Machine ’s Tom Morello on Pussy Riot
Riotous Stats
All 333 Pu$$y Riot NFTs have been minted, but you can still find them on the secondary market via OpenSea .
- Smart Contract - 0xd455550af4a7558b0beec5eaec2cc415c4ff4039
Please Note: Stats are accurate at the time of writing, but be sure to check the original source for the most current information.
- Available Items - 333
- Owners - 311
Be sure to follow Pussy Riot on Twitter and join them on Discord so that you receive all the latest updates and developments regarding this legendary radical activist group and their ongoing efforts to bring justice to the disenfranchised.
That wraps it up for this Discovery of the Day. Pussy Riot proves that NFTs can play an instrumental role in bringing about social change and funding endeavors that protect the rights and freedoms of people the world over. Remember, when you mint or purchase an NFT, you could very well be changing the life of more than one individual. In fact, you could very well play an instrumental role in making life better for just about everybody.
For updates on new NFT drops, NFT news, and more, make sure you follow OurVillage on SubStack, and don’t forget to follow Farmer Joe and Lumberjack Larry on Twitter.
We will be hosting giveaways for eligible members on the MSQ Discord every Friday at 3PM EST. Make sure you join our growing NFT community so you can stay on top of news, the latest drops, and everything non-fungible.
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