Nadya Tolokonnikova, Надежда Андреевна Толоконникова, Is a Russian activist, known for her advocacy for free speech rights in Russia and grew in popularity with her participation in the Russian feminist punk rock band Pussy Riot. One action Nadya participated in was on August 12, 2012, at the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour where she performed and was arrested for “hooliganism,” and jailed for over a year on the political grounds that her acts were anti-religious. She was named “prisoner of conscience,” by Amnesty International. More recently Nadya helped co-found UkraineDAO, a decentralized Web3 NFT-based group raising millions for Ukrainian civilians in the art community.

Nadya Tolokonnikova, September 2022 is an acrylic portrait on 16 x 20 canvas. Based on a photo from a press conference after her release with the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in the backdrop. Being inspired by the recent work for Ukrainians the artist was motivated to highlight the activist and her work for free speech in Russia. The artist was also inspired by the activist role in Russia, speaking out against Putin while also against western imperialism, and state and church-sponsored prosecution. Yellows, tans, and oranges signify the beauty of the moment. Depicting the Cathedral in the background depicts the interest the artist has in religious art history while also supporting acts of conscience.

Order Prints for Nadya Tolokonnikova, available for $140 on 20 x 16 Archival Paper.