Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Nadya Tolokonnikova

Conceptual Artist & Activist

Nadya Tolokonnikova Speaking Fee: $30,000 to $50,000

Conceptual Artist & Activist

Speaker Profile Thumbnail for Nadya Tolokonnikova
Speaking Fee:
$30,000 to $50,000

Travels From:
NYC - New York City

Primary Topic Category:
Inspiration / Motivation / Overcoming Obstacles

Secondary Topic Category:
Women's Events

 

Nadya Tolokonnikova Speaker Profile: At A Glance

In 2012, artist Nadya Tolokonnikova gained global recognition and attention — and was sentenced to two years in prison — following “Punk Prayer,” an anti-Putin performance piece she and conspirators staged inside a cathedral in Moscow. She started a hunger strike protesting the conditions in which she was being held and was ultimately sent to a Siberian penal colony before being released in December 2013. Nadya is a founding member of Pussy Riot, the Russian feminist protest art collective which now counts hundreds of people among its numbers. A longtime thorn in Putin’s side, she was declared a “foreign agent” by Russia in 2021.

Nadya Tolokonnikova is a well-known artist, activist, and founder of the feminist punk rock group Pussy Riot. Born in 1989 in Norilsk, Russia, she has been a prominent voice for political integrity and social justice from a young age. Tolokonnikova attended Moscow State University, where she studied philosophy, which greatly influenced her foundational views on activism and art. In 2012, Nadya and other members of Pussy Riot staged an unauthorized performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, criticizing the entanglement of the Orthodox Church with the state under Vladimir Putin. This act led to her arrest followed by a highly-publicized trial, resulting in a two-year imprisonment. During her incarceration, she gained international attention, becoming a symbol of resistance. Her imprisonment did not silence her; instead, she utilized it as a platform to highlight the dire conditions within Russian prisons, publishing impactful letters and essays that resonated worldwide. Upon release, Nadya co-founded Mediazona in 2014, an independent news outlet focused on human rights and exposing abuses within the Russian justice system. Her voice continues to challenge oppressive regimes and advocate for freedom of expression. Mediazona has since become a critical source of information about legal and economic repression in Russia. Nadya’s work extends beyond Russia. She has been a keynote speaker around the globe, from academic institutions like Harvard and Yale to international conferences including TED and the Oslo Freedom Forum. Her speeches weave together her personal narrative with broader discussions on activism, justice, and the power of collective action. Nadya Tolokonnikova’s relentless fight for human rights and social justice continues to inspire both her contemporaries and the next generation of activists and artists. She remains committed to leveraging her platform to advocate for those whose voices are stifled, embodying the spirit of defiance and hope in every endeavor she undertakes.
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