Pavel Krisevich: Russian Prison Art

Artist Pavel Krisevich was held in Russia’s prison system for 3,5 years after staging performance art in support of political prisoners in Russia. Last year, Krisevich was released and will now speak at De Balie.

The performance art of Pavel Krisevich is as spectacular as it is fearless. He tied himself to a large cross like a Jesus figure in front of the headquarters of the FSB, Russia’s secret service, with a burning bonfire of files of political prisoners beneath him. In 2021, Krisevich staged a suicide on Red Square in Moscow to draw attention to the abominable situation of political prisoners in Russia. It earned him a five-year prison sentence. From his cell, Krisevich bravely continued making art; using his own blood as material, he portrayed the bleak life in prison. Work from this series was previously shown at De Balie during the exhibition Artists Against the Kremlin.

At De Balie, Krisevich will speak about the power of art as resistance against an all-dominating system. He is joined by journalist Paul Alexander, whose new book ‘Bloed, as en tandpasta’ portrays the life of political prisoners in Russia’s penal system through Krisevich’s prison art. How does the current prison system resemble the Soviet Camps? And what drives the political prisoners in their virtually hopeless struggle against an all-powerful regime?