PUTIN’S ASHES

Pussy Riot’s Putin’s Ashes was initiated in August 2022, when Nadya Tolokonnikova burned a 10 x 10-foot portrait of the Russian president, performed rituals, and cast spells aimed to chase Putin away. Twelve women participated in the performance. In order to join, women were required to experience acute hatred and resentment toward the Russian president. Most of the participants were either Ukrainian, Belarusian, or Russian. Nadya Tolokonnikova bottled the ashes of the burnt portrait and incorporated them into her art objects that are being presented alongside her short art film Putin’s Ashes, directed, edited, and scored by Tolokonnikova and co-produced by John Caldwell.

“While working with artifacts, bottling ashes, and manufacturing the faux furry frames for the bottles, I used skills that I learned in the sweatshops of my penal colony. I was forced to sew police and army uniforms in a Russian jail. I turned what I learned in my labor camp against those who locked me up. Putin is a danger to the whole world, and he has to be stopped immediately” said Tolokonnikova.

Putin’s Ashes I, archival print of film still from the original Tolokonnikova film Putin’s Ashes, Hahnemuhle, 210gsm 50% rag watercolor paper, 13 x 19”, signed and hand-numbered edition of 250

[ 1 ] Putin’s Ashes III, 2023, archival print of film still from the original Tolokonnikova film Putin’s Ashes, print on metal, 20 x 37.9”, signed and hand numbered edition of 3

[ 2 ] Putin’s Ashes II, 2023, archival print of film still from the original Tolokonnikova film Putin’s Ashes, print on metal, 20 x 37.9”, signed and hand numbered edition of 3