Introduction
The Gentle Punks, 2013.
February 21, 2012: Five young women, dressed in colorful tights and balaclavas, entered the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, and began singing, “Virgin Mary, Mother of God, chase Putin out/Chase Putin out, chase Putin out.” This political performance piece “punk prayer” ensured the group Pussy Riot twenty-one months in jail on charges of “hooliganism” for opposing the Putin government and “undermining the moral foundations of Russia.”
In Russia, “prisoners of conscience,” people who have chosen a non-violent path, are jailed for their beliefs, color of skin, gender, sexual orientation or solidarity for freedom of expression. So while a punk movement may seem mundane in the United States, being a punk in Russia is considered an affront to the nation.
Meet the “gentle punks,” a group of young “hooligans” in St. Petersburg, Russia who, just as you would expect, live on the fringes of society, but who are additionally marginalized by a police state that arrests them for their activism or creative expression. The following images are merely a glimpse into this world of young punks who are united inside their communal homes and mutual “antifa” or antifascist animosity towards the Putin government. Despite their harsh exterior and political leanings, their story of discontented youth in limbo is a universal story that is relatable across cultures. One I continue telling through the documentation of other like-minded youth.
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