Artist Talk with Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot

Join us for an Artist Talk and Q&A with Nadya Tolokonnikova on Saturday, March 2 at 2 p.m., accompanied by a reception. Tolokonnikova will be interviewed by the Wende Museum’s Chief Curator Joes Segal. Admission is complimentary, but space is limited and offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

FEAR NOT is a pop-up exhibition of new work by Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot, on view Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event is presented in conjunction with Frieze LA and as part of the Wende Museum’s current exhibition, Visions of Transcendence: Creating Space in East and West. Tolokonnikova’s work emerges as a potent symbol of resistance against authoritarianism, celebrating the unyielding resilience of the human spirit.

In this pop-up exhibition, Tolokonnikova presents 15 works created in response to the heartrending death of her friend Alexei Navalny during his imprisonment. Navalny’s lifelong commitment to a liberated Russia and his tragic demise serve as a poignant backdrop to Tolokonnikova’s art, which calls upon the world to acknowledge and address the grave threat Vladimir Putin represents to global peace and stability.

Tolokonnikova’s artwork, crafted from the skills honed during her political imprisonment, challenges the marginalization of textile-based art forms and celebrates the purity, innocence, and beauty of resistance. FEAR NOT is a call to action—a reminder that democracy is precious and fragile, requiring our constant vigilance and courage to preserve.

This exhibition not only spotlights Tolokonnikova’s latest contributions but also resonates with the broader themes of the ongoing Visions of Transcendence exhibition at the Wende Museum, underscoring the capacity of art to overcome difficult circumstances.