With the collaboration of
In her first museum show in Spain, Nadya Tolokonnikova, conceptual artist, musician, and founder of Pussy Riot, explores our collective relationship to the rise of authoritarianism, and within that claustrophobic darkness, a path toward hope. The exhibit showcases a selection of paintings, the continuation of her installation and performance Police State and new work, including an immersive installation entitled Elephant in the Room that confronts the rising military threat from Russia.
Curated by Semíramis González, this exhibition marks the 10th anniversary of the Kora Programme, an annual museum initiative focused on gender perspective.
Tolokonnikova spent two years in Russian jail for her protest performance Punk Prayer (2012), which is widely considered one of the defining works of performance art.
Her 2023 performance Putin’s Ashes and exhibition (presented in venues across the United States and Europe as Jeffrey Deitch in Los Angeles, Dallas Contemporary, CONTAINER in Santa Fe, the OK Linz contemporary art centre and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin) landed her back on Russia’s wanted list.
In 2025, Tolokonnikova presented Police State at the MOCA Warehouse in Los Angeles, an exhibition that had to be abruptly closed due to protests against the National Guard and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which resulted in serious clashes near the institution similar to those the artist was denouncing. This performance was recognised by ARTNews magazine as one of the works of the year for 2025, while the contemporary art and culture magazine Hyperallergic included it in its list of the best art exhibitions worldwide. In October 2025 it was shown at the MCA in Chicago and in 2027 it will be presented at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, together with a lengthy performance coinciding with the exhibition's opening.
Among her accolades of Time Woman of the Year, the Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought, LennonOno Grant for Peace, Woodie Guthrie Prize, an Honorary Doctorate from Rhode Island School of Design, Nadya also wears as a badge of honor the 2025 designation of Pussy Riot as an Extremist Organization by the Russian Federation.
She dreams of a day when the world will wake up to the news of Putin’s disappearance and Ukraine’s victory. She currently lives in exile and chooses to remain geographically anonymous.
- Monday: 12.00 - 16.00 (free access thanks to the sponsorship of Mastercard)
- From Tuesday to Friday and Sunday: 10.00 - 19.00
- Saturday: 10.00 - 21.00
