Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer (2013)

The activities of Pussy Riot does not only concern Russia. Pussy Riot puts the relations between Religion, The State and Art in focus. This mix is a strong taboo within the Western tradition. What is the current idea of the state without religion? What is religion without art? What does art do to the state? How is it possible that art can be blasphemy and a threat to the state; when at the same time art is explained to just be an experience?
   When it is said that the church is separated from the state it is nothing but propaganda. There is something called Civil religion. This can be described as the omnipotent power of the church that was based upon open rules that have been hidden and are now used by leaders of the state. Two good examples of this are that courts of justice are protected by the goddess 'Lady Justice' / the Greek goddess Themis and that economic markets are regulated by the so called Invisible hand.
   In all, Pussy Riot shows that we live in a world without clear answers, they are nothing but illusions to make us weak. Why are there no clear answers to fundamental questions? And why do we not talk openly about the fundamentals? Watch the documentary.

Watch it online: Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer

Pussy Riot, Twitter
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer (2013), Wikipedia
Review: BBC Four's Storyville documentary about Pussy Riot, the Russian feminist punk collective, made extraordinary viewing, Serena Davies, The Telegraph, Oct 22, 2013

Ondi Timoner & BYOD interview filmmakers Maxim Pozdorovkin and Mike Lerner:


Recent news at the time of posting:
Pussy Riot members take Kremlin to European court of human rights, The Guardian, July 28, 2014