Expert meeting November 29, 2012 (13.30-17.

00)

Participants The participants of this meeting were: Ren Does, Caroly van Oostende, Ernst van den Hemel, Kirsten Notten, Rinsares Gmez Olmedilla, Talitha van Zinnen, Birgit Meyer, Deborah de Koning, Katja Tolstaja, Alfons Brning, Heleen Zorgdrager and Anne-Marie Korte. Opening At 13.30 the meeting was opened by Anne-Marie Korte. She explained that the meeting is meant as an explorative meeting to find out what the possibilities are of working together on the case of Pussy Riot. Anne-Marie started to think about this meeting when she talked last summer with Heleen Zorgdrager about the case of Pussy Riot. They both agreed that there are so many aspects to bring in to have a complete discussion of this case, that it was necessary and interesting to start an interdisciplinary meeting.

First presentation: Ren Does Pussy Riot and the political protest movement in Russia After a short introduction of all the participants, Ren Does started his presentation about the case of Pussy Riot and the political protest movement in Russia. He told us that on the 4th of March 2014 two of the member of Pussy Riot will be released from the camps in Perm and Mordovia. One of the members was released earlier, because she did not stay on the altar. Ren Does explained that a lot of sociological research has been done on the protest movement in Russia. On the 11th of December research was conducted amongst demonstrators in Moscow. Only a small part of the people interviewed on that day, voted for the party of Putin. The average age of the protesters is 30 years and they are higher educated. The participants say that they find it difficult to explain for what they are protesting. They have political and moral motives (and no economic reasons) to participate in the protest movement, like their ideals of citizenship and honesty. Rene Does said that it is also necessary to make a geographical distinction within the protest movement. There are 84 regions in Russia, but another distinction can be made in four kinds of areas: 1) post-industrial cities (with universities and a large student population) like Saint Petersburg. In these cities the members of the protest movement are living; 2) middle size or smaller company towns; 3) rural-urban cities; 4) underdeveloped places (6% of population).

Expert meeting Pussy Riot

Rene Does explained that the name of the band Pussy Riot, the way they are dressed, the kind of music they are playing and their concrete actions are characteristic of the protest movement. One of the members of Pussy Riot talked about a revolution like the Arab spring. Two of the members of Pussy Riot were arrested a day before the election. Most likely the authorities were afraid that they would protest against the unfair elections. Rene Does asked how unique Pussy Riot was with their act in the cathedral. Not so unique, he claimed, because on the 9th of December a topless group demonstrated also in front of the cathedral. Furthermore, the cathedral is not only a religious place but it is also a place of commercial enterprise. The church can be hired for exhibitions etc. and there is a professional music system in the church. There are more music groups playing in the church. In Russia they say as a joke that the members of Pussy Riot were arrested because they did not pay for hiring the church. The prosecution of the Pussy Riot members was first encouraged by the religious leaders. Later the prosecution became more and more encouraged by political authorities. Because of this, the relationship between state and church became a topic of discussion. After their arrestment, the members of Pussy Riot became the focal point in the battle between the Putin regime and the new opposition movement. On the 1st of March an art exhibition was held in Russia for the case of Pussy Riot. The girls of Pussy Riot are also supported by several musicians and politicians in the West. The Russian television however, made a documentary about the case called provocateurs part 1, 2 and 3 and Putin made some harsh statements about the members. Some concluding questions: Will the two members of Pussy Riot be released earlier, through intervention of the European Court of Human Rights or maybe by the authorities themselves? Will the Pussy Riot affair stay a focal point between the Putin regime and the opposition? How will the Russian population respond? What will be the next event in the battle between the Putin regime and the opposition? Questions and suggestions from other members: The place in the cathedral that can be hired for other activities, is that really in the cathedral? And is the place where the members of Pussy Riot stood the main place for celebrating the liturgy? Alfons reacted that the conference hall that can be hired, is separate from the church. Katja said that there is confusion about this among orthodox and liberal people. The place where the performance took place is a sacred place.

Expert meeting Pussy Riot

Alfons told about the time between the performance and the day they were arrested. Right after the performance, the members of Pussy Riot were accused for publishing their performance on the internet. The second thing is, when did the public interest in this case came into existence? In the opinion of Alfons it was only in April, because they were held in prison so long. Another question/reaction: who belongs to the Moscow art community and how are their connections with Pussy Riot? Second presentation: Heleen Zorgdrager Pussy Riot from a theological perspective Heleen Zorgdrager gave the second presentation about Pussy Riot, from a theological perspective. She discussed four paradigms for a theological discussion of the case of Pussy Riot: 1) Criticism of religion (Timothy Beal): members of Pussy Riot have said that the church is not truly orthodox. They stand in a tradition of religion criticism to which Schleiermacher and Karl Barth belong (revelation as unmasking tradition). In their choice of place, in their choice to contrast Mary (as a symbol) with Putin and in their choice to contrast real belief with belief in Putin, Pussy Riot stands in this tradition of criticism of religion. They challenge the orthodox church to face the tradition of self-criticism. 2) Holy foolishness paradigm: this model is put forward by Russian Right movement activists. One of the members says: We were searching for real sincerity and simplicity, and we found these qualities in the yurodstvo [the holy foolishness] of Punk. Interestingly, she connects the tradition of holy foolishness with the art form of Punk. The holy fools ridicule the powerful. Russia has a lot of female holy fools, like Xenia of St. Petersburg. They express their ideas through symbols and through performances instead of through words. The model for the holy foolishness is Christ. But they also mention St. Paul. The members of Pussy Riot connect these examples with some Russian poets. There is always an element of suffering in the holy fool tradition. 3) Occupy orthodoxy paradigm. The occupy movement calls for a critical reflection on social and economic teachings of the church, of its image of God and other topics. It calls for a public theology. Occupy religion or occupy Christianity means that theology should be done in the public square and that its subjects should not be the elite but the people in all its diversity, who are taking back the symbols, the rituals and the right of interpretation of tradition. Pussy Riot occupied the space of the location (the church) and by doing so they created new space. They create new space on the internet too; it was also a media revolution, one that aimed to violate the media. 4) Alternative mediation of the sacred paradigm: Pussy Riot performed on the platform before the iconostasis. In their Punk prayer the members of Pussy Riot are the agents, those who act; they are the mediators of the sacred. They did not perform on the altar, but before the royal doors, through which only the priest enters. In this symbolic way heaven and earth, the holy and the profane
Expert meeting Pussy Riot

are mediated. The members of Pussy Riot confused these boundaries. They protected their faces with balaclavas to protect their individuality. They performed without any hierarchy in their Punk prayer, and so they dehierarchized the religious space. Furthermore, they prayed with their faces to the world and not, as it is common in divine liturgy, with their faces to the altar. One of the members of Pussy Riot refers in her statement to a text from the gospels: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Questions for further research from Heleen: A need to discern better methodological methods to distinguish the performance (real and on the internet) and the (artistic) interpretation by others. How do the four paradigms relate to each other, are they complementary, inclusive, exclusive? How does these theological insights relate to other approaches? Questions and suggestions from other members: Questions: in Punk music there is always searched for an ideology. Is this provocation an element of ideology and how does it relate to the immanent aspect of Punk performance? How do the performances relate to ideology? Heleen answered that before she has read the statements of Pussy Riot, she would have said it was about imminent disruption, but it seems now that there is much more ideology and philosophy behind. Heleen stated that she cannot make a choice. In her opinion it is both. The members of Pussy Riot were aware of the message. Anne-Marie added that the members of Pussy Riot were forced afterwards to give an explanation. They have to speak out about these themes. Ernst talked about similarities of Pussy Riot and the occupy movement. Members of the occupy movement are forced to explain what they think they are doing and their vision about the future etc. After this Heleen stated that there are more levels of interpretation: the performance (real, virtual and self-definition) and the artistic and discursive interpretations; also of others! Alfons reacted on the place of the members of Pussy Riot and their relationship with orthodoxy and Punk artists. Is there is a connection between Punk music and holy foolishness? He also asks if we can see the members of Pussy Riot as holy fools, if they do not consider themselves orthodox Christians. Brigit: it is blasphemy in this analysis, but the analysis is too protestant (think about Religionkritik). You stated that they are against idolatry. This is a very Protestant view. You have to reflect on this. Is this the same in Orthodox Christianity? Heleen replied that the members of Pussy Riot refer to elements in their own tradition, like humility.
Expert meeting Pussy Riot

Katja stated that it is important to realize that there is no orthodoxy in pure form. Theological academies were run by Latin scholars. The whole movement to go back to real orthodoxy is reinvented. This is important to look at. It is also interesting that the whole holy fool tradition in Russia is a Carnivalesque tradition. Social roles are reversed in the time before Easter. Kuraev referred to this by stating that the birth of something new was originally connected to the death of the old. This statement is from Bakhtin. Kuraev referred to Bhaktin and not to the tradition of holy foolishness in relation to the Carnivalesque. Third presentation: Kirsten Notten Pussy Riot as a move to freedom Kirsten Notten gave the third presentation. She started with a story about a troubadour who went on a pilgrimage to Mary. He went to a church, walked to her statue and took his violin. Beautiful music filled the church. When he stopped playing his violin, he asked Mary if she could give him a sign when she appreciated his music. Then the candle lifted itself from the shrine. There was also a monk in the church, who stated that it was not allowed to remove objects from the altar. He put the candle back. But when the troubadour started playing for the second time the candle moved again. Then the monk regretted his action. So when Pussy Riot played their music in the cathedral in Moscow, they were not the first to do so. They are standing in a long tradition of a political and spiritual move to freedom. In the tradition of Mary there is a resistance towards the rules. The members of Pussy Riot seek for the freedom of speech, and also the freedom to be a woman. They claim their freedom in the name of Mary. If people want to take over power of other people, they also take their religion, because there is a connection between power and religion. The Red Army took over the religion too. They destroyed the altars and icons and put themselves in their place. The members of pussy are aware of this. They say in their Punk prayer that the patriarch is looking to Putin. When the reformation came, the Protestants destroyed the symbols of Catholicism. When people want power they try to destroy the old religion. But people go on to worship the gods of their old religion. The Lady of Guadeloupe is an example of this. Christian missionaries came to South-America and destroyed everything. Then a farmer got a vision of Mary and the Lady of Guadeloupe became an icon of freedom. In Russia, one did not succeed to destroy the religion either. Women were forbidden to pray the rosary but they went on doing it. Last year there was an exhibition of Mary in the cathedral where Pussy Riot performed. Putin used this exhibition to promote himself to the people waiting in the queue for this exhibition. Pussy Riot refers to this and criticizes the elections. Pussy Riot has a very ritualized performance. Mary is their source of inspiration. Pussy Riot is an example of spiritual freedom and political freedom.

Expert meeting Pussy Riot

Questions and suggestions from other members: Did the members of Pussy Riot say something about their relationship with Mary? That is not found in their comments, only in the text of their Punk prayer (they did call it a prayer for Mary). Kirsten replied that she looked to the text and to the place of the performance. Katja explained about the unfair treatment of different people waiting in the queue for the exhibition about Mary in the church. Ernst stated that this is a very Catholic view on Mary (the invocation of Mary for criticizing religion). He thinks that the connection between religion and politics in this way is something interesting in the 21st century. Maybe it is blasphemy to take over religion for political reasons. Invocation of Mary by Kristen was very personal and the invocation of Mary by Pussy Riot is very political and theological. Heleen: you referred to the rosary. You have to look for orthodox practices. Alfons: Orthodox people always talk about the mother of god, not about Mary. And she is always pictured with the child. She is seen as protector of Russian people. - BREAK -

Fourth presentation: Christiane Kruse The visual look of Pussy Riot and their place in visual culture history After the break, Christiane Kruse showed a PowerPoint presentation with a collage of pictures. Her main focus of interest in the case of Pussy Riot is their visual look and their place in the visual culture history. The visual look of Pussy Riot reminds her of the visual looks of pop art, because of the bright colours. In an interview that she once read about Pussy Riot an answer was given by one of the members of Pussy Riot to the question why they were wearing such bright colours. They do so because we are bright. What is the connection between Pussy Riot and pop art? Christiane stated that she wanted to investigate this. After surfing on the internet she also found some interesting pictures of matryoshka puppets. Her question is if there is a connection between the shape and the content of the matryoshka dolls and Pussy Riot. Maybe the simple women in Russian culture are the secularised mother god? Christiane also found a picture about the connection between the matryoshka and politics. Is there a connection between Pussy Riot, politics and the matryoshka dolls? or not, and where does it come from? This is one of the difficulties of visual art on the internet. Another point of interest in the case of the visual aspects of Pussy Riot is the iconography of the mother god in Russia. There is a connection and this connection is an interesting point of investigation.

Expert meeting Pussy Riot

Another thing that is worth noting is the balaclava. It was worn in the Krimkrieg, when Russia lost its dominance in Europe. Then it had the function to protect against the ice and the snow. From this context it moves to the 20th century and became a symbol for autonomous groups, and policemen use it too. It is not sure if the members of Pussy Riot are familiar with whole tradition of the balaclava. This is also a point of investigation. It is worth noting that the balaclava used in tradition is always black, while the balaclavas of Pussy Riot are coloured. Christiane referred to her book and told us that she is looking to the use and function of masks. Where does it come from in our time? What was the context in earlier times? Wearing a mask to be anonymous is the reason of wearing a balaclava for the members of Pussy Riot. Christiane also referred to Muslim women. It was also interesting to find out that in Punk music members of another band (the masked intruder, started in 2009) are wearing coloured balaclavas. It is interesting to find out which of the two bands started first wearing the balaclava. In an interview one of the members of Pussy Riot referred to the French situationalists. This is a group we have to highlight: what is the connection between this group of political art activism and Pussy Riot? Questions and suggestions from other members: For the investigation of Pussy Riot and the icon tradition it is necessary to be aware of the icon tradition and the way in which icons are made. They are made according to strict formulas. The question is if the members of Pussy Riot will perform with the balaclava every time in the same way. Christiane stated that their balaclava is now their trademark, but that they are going to leave it, because it is a brand. Pussy Riot does not want the commercialization. Katja stated that we all use very western interpretations about icons. An icon is not an icon because it is painted but because it is blessed. In is important to look to the tradition of iconography and it is also worth noting that maybe Pussy Riot criticized this tradition of iconography. Heleen told that some weeks after the Pussy Riot performance icons and stuff were taken outside the church because they were defiled and they had to be blessed again. According to Katja this is an incorrect interpretation of iconography because only through blood an icon can become defiled. In many orthodox churches it is allowed for laity to stay on the place were the Pussy Riots staid. Only behind the doors of the priests it is not allowed. For the methodological approach the landscape of references about the different levels of interpretation must be clear (like affirmation but also ironic citation).

Expert meeting Pussy Riot

Fifth presentation: Anne-Marie Korte Pussy Riot and visual aesthetics The fifth presentation of Anne-Marie Korte was aligned to the presentation of Christiane Kruse, because it was about the visual aesthetics (specially the fight over the visual aesthetics). First, Anne-Marie introduced her field of interest and told that one of the aspects of this field is the connectedness of female bodies to sacred tradition. According to Anne-Marie it is common in contemporary photography and performances that many of them present the authors themselves in the reenactment in a central religious theme, like the crucifixion. Most of these artworks are related to some political and cultural critical themes. And all these works of art have become controversial. All these different acts and works of art have in common that they are created by female artists who want to contribute to the emancipation of women and/or ethnic minorities and that they in some kind re-enact the religious tradition in which they are raised in, and they always put their own body in a position of vulnerability. So what we talk about are embodied works of art. Most of them attract huge media attention. Gendercorporeality is important in the accusation of blasphemy. It is worth noting that there is a shift in the position and public perception of both religion and sexuality as identity markers and their mutual interrelatedness. There is a reversal in which in the secular there is acceptance of sexual plurality and in religion a rejection of sexual plurality. Sexuality is an important identity-marker in our societies. The Pussy Riot case can be seen as part of the interconnectedness of shifts of position in both religion and sexuality. Modern accusations of blasphemy deal with dominant religious scenes, like the last supper and Jesus on the cross. In the Pussy Riot case there is no reenactment of a religious scene. There is a religious place and there were reference to rituals but not as in western cases. It is interesting that in an interview one of the members of Pussy Riot referred to the aesthetics of orthodox religion, which she opposed to the way Putin uses aesthetics, and she stated that there is a way of reusing the aesthetics of the same visual culture. The visual aspects of the act are at the first sight from Punk tradition and not from the visual aesthetics of orthodox culture. But then Anne-Marie stated that she realised that the members of Pussy Riot are referring in their statements to the accusation of blasphemy. The three different ladies of Pussy Riot refer to different aspects of blasphemy. For some it is about the sincerity of their intentions. One of the members said that it is blasphemy that the visual culture has been hijacked by the Russian government and the clerics of the church. In the reaction of the supporters of Pussy Riot we find explicit religious imaginary. The members of Pussy Riot did not use explicit religious imaginary. When we return to the western supporter movement we find no religious imaginary but masks. 8

Expert meeting Pussy Riot

One of the main insights is that blasphemy is connected to several changes. Questions and suggestions from other members: In Russian there are three words for blasphemy. References to the case of Pussy Riot use a different word for blasphemy (an old one) that is used by the members of Pussy Riot themselves. The lyrics are the most blasphemous because in the same song Putin is criticized on the one hand and Mary is declared a feminist on the other hand. The differences in blasphemy are all at work in this case. The performance is called a Punk prayer. But there are also liturgical aspects in the act. In one of the pictures of the icon imitation of supporters, we see small letters on the top (the Greek letters for the mother of god). It is used as a political manifestation in which the members of Pussy Riot are referred to as women. The kind of feminism here is different from our western views of feminism. The act can be seen as a protest against the masculine symbol of aggressiveness. So manarchism is mentioned.

Planning of further (interdisciplinary) research cooperation and topics During this meeting we went into different discourses and had a first discussion on how to approach the case. What is the position of the kind of group we are in now and what are options of continuation? Which topics and themes we want to discuss further? - Multidisciplinary of the group is good. International connections are important: the group FEMAN (Ukraine) is mentioned and a minority group in Russia. - There is a lot of expertise in this group. There is a large frame: how to see Pussy Riot in a post-secular age. We miss the appropriation of the case of Pussy Riot on different levels in the Russian context. It is important to do a kind of thick-description of the appropriation of the case of Pussy Riot in orthodox religion. We need more insight in the locality and the diversity of contexts. - As for more insight in the locality we already invited Marina Shishova. We can invite other people in this group with expertise on Russia and the context from within. - Suggestion for a conference or a panel in a bigger conference is made. - A Noster theme-group. Katja is member of Noster. Alfons is asked to become a member. We need at least four members. - A suggestion from Birgit Meyer is to write something about Pussy Riot in the section in conversation in her journal Material religion. Look at difference facets (multiple-angle). - What is the connection between Russia and Europe nowadays?
Expert meeting Pussy Riot

Activism and Feminism. What is feminism for people in Russia? One of the members stated that learning about the case is more important than writing about it. How do we articulate protest inside and outside religious tradition? How does a secular state have to react on blasphemy? Where does blasphemy start and were does freedom of expression end? A suggestion is made for a next meeting about Punk art and blasphemy (Alfons). We need to investigate tradition and reinvention of tradition in a post secular society and in particular in a post communist society. Monks and nuns do not refer to blasphemy when they talk about the Pussy Riot case. Everyone referred to what Putin said. What is orthodox and who is orthodox? If we want to do more or if we want to invite people from Russia we need finances. It might be an option to form ourselves into a Noster-research group. Christiane told there is an opportunity for her to organize a conference in Kiel. The next one is in January. In summer 2014 there is another conference. We can work for one and a half year on this case. In several meetings we can go into more aspects. For thick-description we need more local orientated scholars in the specific sessions. Kirsten wants to do more research on Mary but is not financed. NIAS is mentioned for financing. Talitha wants to participate in the group and write her master thesis about this topic. Next session in a few months (March). Think about relevant literature and interesting scholars.

Expert meeting Pussy Riot

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