May 2012
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7TH BERLIN BIENNALE. STATEMENT BY VOINA
We met Artur Żmijewski in St. Petersburg in the spring of 2011. That summer he invited us to become curators of the 7th Berlin Biennale. He told us he needed our help to transform art into politics. This doesn’t mean that as Biennale curators we are going to occupy ourselves with exhibition management, which in our opinion is rather useless: exhibitions harm contemporary art. All artists ever...
April 2012
5 posts
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Vor: "To fuck them in a way the people can grasp,...
Since February 6 we’ve been fighting with RIA Novosti, the state news agency, to publish my interview. The agency asked us for it back in late December, on the 22nd. Only on the 19th of January did they send me questions, which the culture section took a whole month to draft and approve. On February 6, a journalist named Svetlana Yankina got the interview on the condition that it would be...
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Voina in Venice
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VOINA in S.a.L.E. Soon we'll be completely...
SaLE-Docks April 24th – June 3rd Opening music + live set: Tuesday, April 24 h.18 Exhibition runs from Thursday to Sunday, from 14.30 to 19.00
Voina (from Russian: Война; eng.: War) is a group active in Russia since 2005. Their work has been shown in many countries and as a result of attempts of repression by the government, activists from around the world (from Venice in Fukushima, from Zurich...
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Voina points to the art of dissent
By EDAN CORKILL
Activist art: For “Voina Wanted (in Fukushima)” Chim↑Pom and local artists help Alex Plutser-Sarno display the “Voina” banner at a dump site for radioactive tsunami debris in Fukushima
The photo shows an unshaven Russian glaring into the distance from behind prison bars. It’s a striking shot, so it is hardly surprising that when it was printed on a...
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The ‘Un-Whored Path’ of Leo Tolstoy and Voina
by Jacquelyn Gleisner
03/31/2012
“In order to properly define art, it is necessary, first, to cease to consider it as a means to pleasure,”(1) wrote Leo Tolstoy in 1897.
Voina, “Fuck for the heir Bear Cub!”
At the time Tolstoy was writing his way through a spiritual crisis, developing a body of work that outlined his unconventional beliefs. Today these writings function as a symbolic script...
March 2012
3 posts
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Russia under Putin: a burning desire for change
Voina art-group on Channel 4th News
The full report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vvtDGckRE4
Source: http://www.channel4.com/news/russia-a-burning-desire-for-change
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Presentation of Voina actions in Dada's Cabaret...
Voina Group presentation. On the screen you can see the portrait of a Russian opposition activist Taisiya Osipova behind the bars. Taisiya Osipova, the wife of a Russian opposition leader, was sentenced in the end of 2011 to 10 years in prison for the alleged possession of half an ounce of heroin, a move that her supporters say is aimed at intimidating and dividing the Kremlin’s political...
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VOINA WANTED on the Muenster Bridge, Zurich, 2012,...
Voina Wanted banner hung on the right side of the Limmat River in Limmatquai.
Lindenhof in the old town of Zürich, the historical site of the Carolingian Kaiserpfalz, situated on the left side of the Limmat River.
Voina Wanted banner hung on the Muenster Bridge. In the background there is St. Peter’s church, one of the four main churches of the old town of Zurich, besides...
February 2012
5 posts
VOINA WANTED in Zurich
VOINA WANTED action took place in Zurich, Switzerland on February 4, 2012.
The height of Karlsturm tower where the Voina Wanted banner was hung is 62 meters. There are 187 footsteps leading to its top.
The action was supported by Voina Group activists Adrian Notz, Phillipp Meier & Nadja Putzi (DADA’s Cabaret Voltaire). Photo - Yana Sarna. Initiator and author of the action - Alexei...
Russian Art Group Claims Attack on Police Van
By ELLEN BARRY Published: January 2, 2012
MOSCOW — A spokesman for the radical art collective Voina on Monday announced that its members had broken into a St. Petersburg police station on New Year’s Eve and used gasoline bombs to incinerate a police vehicle used to transport prisoners as “a gift to all political prisoners of Russia.” Amateur video posted online showed a figure tossing lighted...
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The Tver Court of Moscow sentenced the activist of the party “the Other Russia” Dmitriy Putenikhin, who poured water on the prosecutor of the Manezhnaya case, to seven months of corrective labor. The defendant was released from custody at the courthouse. Sentencing will take effect in 10 days.
Koza, Kasper and Skif Bratok
On October 28th Putenikhin splashed a prosecutor Alexey...
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Russian Protesters Use Art as Act of War
Anna Nemtsova Jan 6, 2012 4:45 AM EST
An art collective put a phallus on a bridge and burnt a police truck on New Year’s Eve. Can they truly call their protests art?
For a group of artists, academics, and philosophers from Moscow and St. Petersburg, the war against the Russian government started six years ago, when the group formed an underground art club called Voina (which means “the...
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THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES: Voina Claims Arson...
By Sergey Chernov Vorotnikov holds his son as they stand in front of a police vehicle similar to the one Voina claims to have set on fire
St. Petersburg law enforcers have filed a new criminal case against award-winning Voina art group for burning down an armored police truck on New Year’s Eve. They also addressed the group, whose activists are in hiding, via news web site Fontanka.ru late last...
January 2012
5 posts
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Far from Moscow, a harsh sentence and political...
By Will Englund, Published: January 11
Taisiya Osipova SMOLENSK, Russia — As opposition leaders wait to see how Russian authorities intend to handle continuing political protests in Moscow, a criminal case here, 250 miles to the west, suggests that tough measures are part of the equation. The wife of a radical organizer was sentenced late last month to 10 years in prison for the alleged...
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"VOINA Wanted!" hung on the Brooklyn side in New...
There is the Empire state building in the background
Photo - Brad Downey, Voina Group activist, with the help of Ed Zipco and Quenell Jones. Initiator & author of the action - Alexei Plutser-Sarno, Voina Group media-artist. Portrait of Oleg Vorotnikov in the courtroom - Vladimir Telegin.
Source: http://plucer.livejournal.com/537113.html
Happy New Year to all political prisoners!
With their December 31st action, Voina sends their New Year greetings to all political prisoners in Russia.
Happy New Year, Philip Kostenko!
Happy New Year, Taisiya Osipova!
Happy New Year, Igor Berezyuk!
Happy New Year, Kirill Unchuk!
Happy New Year, Ruslan Khubayev!
Happy New Year, Sergei Mokhnatkin!
Happy New Year, Rinat Sultanov!
Happy New Year, Sergei Udaltsov!
Happy New Year,...
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"VOINA Wanted". Atlanta. USA
Action “VOINA Wanted”. Bank of America Plaza & The olympic torch monument. Atlanta. USA Jan. 2, 2012
The banner was hung in front of the olympic torch monument in Atlanta, which was created for the 1996 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics.
The olympic torch monument
The banner was hung in...
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THE LONG DEATH OF TAISIYA OSIPOVA
2012/01/03 7th Berlin Biennale: Newsletter
Political Prisoner Taisiya Osipova
ANOTHER FRIEND OF VOINA SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS OF PRISON
On December 29th, 2011, after having waited 13 months in prison in Smolensk expecting a sentence, Taisiya Osipova, a 27 years old opposition activist, was made to wait another 12 hours in the court building. Then she was sentenced – to 10 years of prison. ...
December 2011
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Koza among Russian women who dominate. ‘Babelians’...
Codename Koza
Koza and Kasper
According to one potted history lesson given by a former Russian (female) colleague, Russian young men were sent to war and died in world war one, in the civil war, in world war two and in the purges, where the bright (mainly male) stars of the intellectual scene were disposed of. Add to this the poor life expectancy for men, who on average die at least twelve...
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DAY 13 OF PUSHA'S HUNGER STRIKE
2011/12/19 7th Berlin Biennale: Newsletter
Human rights activist Pusha (Philip Kostenko) has been on hunger strike since his arrest on December 6, 2011. Activist Victor Demynanenko, also wrongfully arrested, has joined Pusha in his hunger strike. Their demand is to release all activists jailed as a result of the December 4-6 protest rallies.
Pusha leads a column of anarchists on the march...
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OLEG VOROTNIKOV: MY WIFE LIVES WITHOUT ANY ID FOR...
Kozlenok and Kasper
Oleg Vorotnikov states:
“My wife and Voina activist Natalya Sokol lives without any ID for one year now. Her passport was confiscated by policemen from the Special Service against Extremism North Western Federal Department. They also confiscated her travel passport, her driver license, her Moscow State University ID as scientific assistant and her health insurance ID....
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Voina: ‘As a Russian activist, I’m not sure that I...
interview BY ANNIE RUTHERFORD @ 12/12/11
With organisers saying that almost 100, 000 people protested in Russia’s biggest anti-governmental rally on 10 December - accusing the kremlin of ‘fraud’ in 4 December parliamentary elections - we hear from the Moscow-based self-styled ‘street art gang’ in part two of an exclusive interview, where they describe their role in this Russia.
VOINA Group
...
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Russian art collective Voina: ‘Zhlobs are in power...
interview BY ANNIE RUTHERFORD @ 05/12/11
The Moscow-based self-styled ‘street art gang’ formed in 2005. Its four main members consist of president Leonid Nikolaev - who was arrested at an ‘election fraud protest rally’ on 5 December - ideologist Oleg Vorotnikov, coordinator Natalia Sokol and her son and Voina’s youngest activist, two-year-old Kasper Can’t-Take-Our-Eyes-Off-Him Sokol. Part one of...
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ADORABLE VOINA CHILD STABS PICTURES OF THE RUSSIAN...
by Marina Galperina on November 25, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Voina supports Skif Bratok:
Vor: The cars were arguing about who was the best. “I can stop even the fastest car,” said the cop. Kasper: Take that, cop! Go away! Koza: Why are you tearing the book, Kasper? Kasper: I boom cops! Koza: What are you destroying the book for? Kasper: Mommy, may I hit the cop? So he can’t...
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The criminal case against Skif Bratok. Information
Political prisoner Skif Bratok An activist of the opposition party ”The Other Russia” Dmitriy Putenikhin, aka Matvei Krylov, aka Skif Bratok, is being held against the law since October 28th, 2011. He was arrested for a protest against judicial tyranny.
He was falsely accused and faces two years in prison.
Voina calls on all honest journalists to raise their voices in defense...
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Arrest warrant against Natalia Sokol overturned
Today the penal chamber of St. Petersburg City Court overturned the arrest warrant against Natalia Sokol issued earlier by Dzerzhinsky District Court. The case was returned to Dzerzhinsky District Court to be reviewed by a different judge.
Natalia Sokol (Kozlenok) with son Kasper
According to the City Court, the original arrest warrant decision was deeply flawed, as judge Brazhnikova had failed...
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The criminal case against Taisiya Osipova....
On November 23, 2010 members of the Smolensk CPE (Center to Combat Extrimism) arrested a wife of Sergey Fomchenkov, Taisiya Osipova, who lives there with their five-year daughter Katrina. Sergei Fomchenkov is a member of the executive committee of the newly formed party “Other Russia”. He is responsible for preparing the documents for the registration of the party and for their...
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Russia's Art Revolution. Voina Challenges Putin...
DER SPIEGEL №51/2011 By Walter Mayr in St. Petersburg
Members of the Russian art collective Voina are supposed to serve as associate curators for the 2012 Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, which begins this spring in Germany. Voina’s work is drawing attention around the world, but international arrest warrants have been issued for two of the its leaders.
Voina in town
The message...
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An Appeal to Journalists to Attend the Trial of...
Political prisoner Taisiya Osipova
Dear colleagues and journalists! On December 27, 2011 at 10:00 in the city of Smolensk, Zadneprovski court a defense hearing will take place in the criminal case of an opposition activist and political prisoner Taisiya Osipova. We ask you to attend the last hearing of the criminal case. From November 2010 Taisia, the wife of Sergey Fomchenkov who is one of...
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Philip Kostenko, still on hunger strike, gets 15...
Philip Kostenko in his 10th day of hunger strike
St. Petersburg activist Philip Kostenko, who has been on a hunger strike since December 6th to protest his 15-day jail sentence, was sentenced today to 15 more days in jail.
Philip was initially arrested on December 6th for participating in a peaceful rally against electoral fraud. His first jail term expired yesterday, December 21st. However,...
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PROTEST AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL WARRANT ISSUED...
7th Berlin Biennale: Newsletter #4
Natalya Sokol is arrested during protests in Saint Petersburg on March 31, 2011
The 7th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art would like to express its protest against the international warrant issued for Natalia Sokol on December 6, 2011. In November 2011 Artur Zmijewski, Curator of the 7th Berlin Biennale, announced the artists-activists group Voina as...
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Arrested human rights activist Philip Kostenko...
Philip Kostenko
On December 6, 2011 Philip Kostenko, activist of the Russian human rights organization Memorial, began a hunger strike. He was arrested near Gostiny Dvor at the peaceful rally in St. Petersburg against widespread violations in the State Duma elections. He was charged with failure to follow a police officer’s orders (Article 19.3). His case was heard by Judge Alexei Kuznetsov,...
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Arrest warrant issued for pregnant Voina activist...
Natalia Sokol (Kozlenok) with son Kasper
December 7th, 2011 — St. Petersburg’s Dzerzhinsky District Court decided today to issue an arrest warrant for Voina member Natalia Sokol (Kozlenok). Natalia, who is in her 8th month of pregnancy, has been charged with insulting and using violence against police officers (articles 319 and 318 of the Criminal Code). The charges were first revealed to...
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Voina Wanted. Brussels Palace of Justice. Interpol...
November 16, 2011
Vor in the Palace of Justice in Brussels “Voina Wanted” – worldwide solidarity action by the Voina Group for the persecuted artist and group member Oleg Vorotnikov, who is now wanted by the FSB and Interpol. Photo - Brad Downey with the help of Matthias Hübner and Yann Leguay, Voina Group activists. Initiator of the action - Alexei Plutser-Sarno , Voina Group...
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VOINA WANTED on the Pont Neuf, Paris. Interpol...
November 18, 2011 Vor in Paris, Pont Neuf Bridge
Paris cop examining the VOINA WANTED banner
In the background on the left there is Musée du Louvre, on the right - an equestrian statue of Henri IV, famous for supporting the arts
“Voina Wanted” – worldwide solidarity action by the Voina Group for the persecuted artist and group member Oleg Vorotnikov, who is now wanted by the...
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Natalia Sokol declared an internationally wanted...
Kozlenok and Vor, in hiding, listen to the news
December 6th, 2011 - Kuybyshevky District Court of St. Petersburg was set today to rule on the investigators’ motion to arrest Voina activist Natalia Sokol (Kozlenok). It was previously understood by the defense that Kozlenok was facing charges under article 319 of the Criminal Code (insulting a public official). However, as was discovered...
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Leonid Nikolaev escapes from police station
Leo The Fucknut
Leonid Nikolaev escaped from the police in the morning of December 5th. Leonid’s account of the events follows:
As I approached Gostiny Dvor, I was concerned about the possibility of being intercepted by police. Nevertheless, I reached the square without a problem. I was late by 10 minutes, and the most prominent activists have already been arrested. Whistling could be...
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Kremlin arrests Voina art activist Leonid Nikolaev...
by Stefan van Drake, December 5, 2011 Leo The Fucknut on the Dvorcovaya Squere
On 4 Dec., Putin & Medvedev catapulted to an absolute majority in the Duma (Russian parliament), assuring Putin´s autocracy for years to come and along with it, repression of any irritating political dissenters like Voina Group, living squat to squat in St. Petersburg on the run, wanted by Kremlin Kops and...
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Court to decide on arrest warrant for Kozlenok...
Kuybushevsky District Court of St. Petersburg (Karavannaya st., 20) will decide tomorrow on whether to issue an arrest warrant for Voina activist Natalia Sokol (Kozlenok). The hearing will take place at 3 PM before judge A. P. Dondik.
Kozlenok is currently facing charges under article 319 of the Russian Criminal Code (insulting an authority figure) for allegedly dousing police officers with...
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Leonid Nikolaev arrested at opposition rally
Leonid at the rally against illegitimate elections. Gostiny Dvor, St. Petersburg. December 4th, 2011
Leonid Nikolaev was detained by police today during a protest rally against election fraud in St. Petersburg. The arrest took place around 8 PM. Leonid’s current whereabouts are unknown.
Leonid Nikolaev whistling in protest to illegitimate elections. December 4th, 2011
A fight broke out...
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The 7th Berlin Biennale announces Associate...
Artur Żmijewski appointed the Voina group from Russia and Joanna Warsza from Warsaw as Associate Curators, who will work together to develop the concept and program of the 7th Berlin Biennale. Vor and Żmij on the Neva River Voina Oleg Vorotnikov (a.k.a. Vor), Natalya Sokol (a.k.a. Kozljonok or Koza), Leonid Nikolajew (a.k.a. Leo the Fucknut) and Kasper Nienagliadny Sokol The art collective...
November 2011
4 posts
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Voina's "Palace Revolution" not a hate crime,...
Experts in the “Palace Revolution” case have testified in favor of Voina once again. The experts’ conclusion was presented to Leonid Nikolaev during his meeting with Vadim Rud’, the investigator in charge of the case, on November 21st.
The testimony was given by Valery Zarubin and Natalia Nemirova, sociologists at Herzen University in St. Petersburg, per a request from the...
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RUSSIA’S ROBIN HOOD
Index on Censorship magazine (The Art Issue, Vol 40, NO. 3 2011): Widespread frustration with the establishment has fostered a brand of political street art that’s taking the country by storm. Nick Sturdee reports Scandal goes down well in the art world, and the organisers of this April’s prestigious state Innovation art award in Moscow clearly decided to make the most of their moment. The...
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Prague´s artists and mayor protest Russian...
Voina Wanted banner unfurled 3 Nov. in Prague Photograph by Yana Sarna Prague´s artists and its mayor joined with Voina Group staging a visual protest action against Russia´s renewed repression of the art activists. On 3 November, Voina activists Alexei Plutser-Sarno and Yana Sarna helped lead the action, starting at the Charles Bridge in the Czech capital. They and others hung a “VOINA...
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Criminal charges reinstated against Leonid...
Leonid Nikolaev and Oleg Vorotnikov
2 November 2011 – The decision to drop the criminal charges against Leonid Nikolaev and Oleg Vorotnikov in relation to the Palace Revolution action has been overturned, according to Voina attorney Dmitri Dinze.
The charges of aggravated hooliganism against Oleg and Leonid were dropped by investigator Vadim Rud’ in a decision dated September 1st, 2011....
October 2011
14 posts
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Voina membership is increasing, say the Russian...
The number of Voina activists is rising, according to St. Petersburg’s Central District Operations and Searches Department (OSD-1). Oleg Vorotnikov confirms this in his interview to Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty: “The most vivid people are with us now - and not just Russians. We now have followers and members in different parts of the world.”
As part of the criminal...
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Oleg Vorotnikov's bail forfeiture ruling...
St. Petersburg City Court ruled on Monday, October 24th to overturn the previous decision to forfeit Oleg Vorotnikov’s 300,000 rub ($10,000) bail. The issue of bail forfeiture will be reviewed again by Dzerzhinsky District Court.
The original ruling was passed by Dzerzhinsky district court on July 18th, following a motion by the Investigations Committee who claimed that Oleg was evading...
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Kozlenok's account of her and Kasper's arrest
Kozlenok:
Ulf Kalkreuth left the hotel before us. He was filming us very closely as we exited the hotel.
We headed towards the Sadovaya on foot. Kasper was helping me with the bike, pushing it from behind. Ulf was rattling along the pavement behind us, filming everything.
We had only walked about 20 meters when a white car approached us at full speed. The car came to a hard stop, illuminating...
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Leonid Nikolaev overviews the Russian protest...
Leonid Nikolaev:
“The only people left floating on the surface are those who aren’t wanted anywhere else.”
Leonid Nikolaev
I strongly disagree with the claim that protest activity is in decline, inasmuch as I know the situation from the inside. Anyone who is active at this time could tell you that there is no decline. I don’t keep up with how it looks on the outside,...