August 15, 2012
Ace Hotel To Hold Public Reading For Russian Dissidents
On the eve of the verdict of the Pussy Riot trial, the Ace Hotel in NoMad New York will host a public reading of Russian dissidents’ closing statements.
The event will take place on Thursday at 7:30pm in Liberty Hall at the Ace. The feminist punk band’s members Katja Samutsevich, Nadia Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyekhina are facing 3 years in prison after staging a performance art piece / concert to protest Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This story has gained international press coverage in recent weeks and highlights what many view as a lack of freedom of speech in Russia. The concert gained controversy, in part, due to it’s location at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The members are being charged with hooliganism.
This Amnesty International sponsored event will feature readings of their prison letters as well as their court room statements. Confirmed readers include:
Chloe Sevigny
Eileen Myles
Karen Finley
Johanna Fateman
Justin Vivian Bond