NFT’s Driving Change: Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova

This edition of NFT’s Driving Change spotlights Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova’s “Matriarchy Now” NFT collection.

I think Sunday mornings are for lazy breakfasts and good reading in bed. And if it’s too cold in your part of the world, add a blanket or two. While I can’t promise you a good read, I guarantee something thought-provoking, something inspiring, or maybe even a glimmer of hope.

welcome to NFTs drive change— a bi-monthly column where I highlight projects and creators using NFTs and other Web3 tools to create real-world impact. In this issue, I put the spotlight on Pussy Riot’s co-founder, Nadya Tolokonnikova’s latest NFT project: Matriarchy Now.

First, let me tell you about Nadya Tolokonnikova

I first came across Pussy Riot, a Russian punk band, while graduating in journalism in 2018. At the time, a classmate had introduced me to them as one of her favorite feminist icons. But, I admit, it was mostly in the last year that I got to know Pussy Riot’s work, especially in the intersection between Web3 and activism. In the midst of this, the punk collective’s founder, Nadya Tolokonnikova, stood out; both for her personal as well as Pussy Riot-related works.

A performance artist, feminist and political activist, Nadya co-founded Pussy Riot in 2011. The following year, Russian authorities arrested her and two other members for “hooliganism” for protesting against Vladimir Putin at a cathedral in Moscow. Over the years, she has continued to fight for various causes, and has often adopted various digital tools to drive her activism. The latest in this is crypto, NFTs and a number of other Web3 tools.

NFTs drive change: Using Web3 for activism

After losing several NFTs in 2021, Nadya, along with other crypto artists and developers, set up UnicornDAO to empower female-identifying, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ artists. One way they do this is by using the funds they raise to buy NFTs from these artists. In a recent interview with Rolling stoneNadya spoke about how some of the queer artists UnicornDAO supported used the funds to flee Russia.

“We literally used this money to save their lives and now they are living in a safe place,” she told the media.

This was followed by setting up another DAO, UkraineDAO, to raise funds for war-torn Ukraine. Then came Certificate of protest NFT drop to support reproductive rights organizations in the wake of the Roe vs. Wade ruling. To be honest, she had me on ‘bottled feminism’.

For those unfamiliar with the work, here is a summary of what she said during the launch of the limited edition of NFT: “We live in a world where almost everything is for sale. And now you can get it at a discount when you buy more than 1 Raw Extra Virgin bottle of Feminism. Your voice is yours, even if your womb is not (in America). No government, no corporation can take that away from you.”

Starting 2023 with Matriarchy Now

Bad market conditions or not, Nadya started this year with another sharp NFT drop; this time, in partnership with Rolling Stone and Coinbase. Entitled “Matriarchy now”, the collection was created in collaboration with the renowned photographer and artist, Ellen von Unwerth. The 11 NFTs were sold on January 11th, raising just over 20 ETH.

All sale proceeds will go to LegalAbortion.ETH, UnicornDAO’s wallet dedicated to raising funds for reproductive rights organizations. To date, the wallet has supported several organizations with around $500,000. The list includes, among others, SisterSoung Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, Fos Feminista and Planned Parenthood.

All this sheds light on the more impactful side of NFTs. As Nadya said earlier“NFTs [are] the beginning of one of the most influential movements in the history of modern art.” Using Web3 tools to support a variety of causes, Nadya and Pussy Riot set a remarkable example of how to use NFTs to create real-world impact.