So I had to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights, for feminism. TOLOKONNIKOVA: So prior to Pussy Riot, I had experience of five years of political performance art, and closer to 2011, became obvious to me that I need to speak loudly about my values. What moved you to help start what's now called Pussy Riot? SIMON: I gather you ran away from your home in Siberia to Moscow when you were 16 and had some tough years. We burn giant Putin's portrait, collect the ashes and make art pieces with those ashes. I think it's mostly because of the art show that's called "Putin's Ashes" that was done in Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in Los Angeles earlier this year. It is partly because I raised money for Ukraine. SIMON: You're on the government's most wanted list now for raising money to support Ukraine. If you refuse to fear, then autocracies do not have a chance. Fear paralyzes you, and fear calls autocracies together. And I never really thought about consequences. TOLOKONNIKOVA: It was important for me to act. SIMON: Why did you sing it? You must have known it would create a problem for some people. TOLOKONNIKOVA: I spent two years in jail. SIMON: And how long did you spend in prison for that? TOLOKONNIKOVA: It was called "Virgin Mary, Please Get Rid Of Putin." SIMON: So you sang a song at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior church in 2012. SIMON: That's from the 2017 song "Police State." Masha Alyokhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova will accept the award. This year, the prize is being given to the Russian feminist collective and performance art group known as Pussy Riot. Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, Mavis Staples are among previous recipients. The Woody Guthrie Prize will be given tonight to artists who work in the tradition of the singer and songwriter who called himself a commonist.
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