We recently spoke with Pussy Riot’s Yekaterina “Katia” Samutsevich about her philosophical influences, sexism in activism, and the meaning behind the punk feminist collective’s purposefully shocking name. Here are some highlights, culled from the questions you asked. (Side note: her Skype name is a play on “ass to mouth.”)
Where does the name “Pussy Riot” come from?
From the very beginning, what attracted us was this idea of opposites, in terms of word juxtaposition, sort of, like power of contrast between words…a riot is something that is more associated with a male thing, that women don’t participate in. And so, we played around with the other word, and the idea was taking something like Riot grrrl a little bit further and making it more radical. The term “pussy,” which is used for young girls, seemed like the perfect contrast. But it was mostly about this opposition between two words and maximum power through juxtaposition.
Who are Pussy Riot’s musical and ideological influences?
Each one of us is influenced by different philosophers, including [Gilles] Deleuze, [Roland] Barthes, and [Michel] Foucault, as well as more [modern] movements like Riot grrrl, The Yes Men, and Wikileaks.
What do you think of all the celebrity support you’ve received? Do you regret that any supporters co-opted your message?
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