Skrepetsky, Pussy Riot, Pavlensky: Art Outside the System
Three encounters with three forms of Russian dissent: Semyon Skrepetsky outside the Giardini, Pussy Riot in front of the Russian
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Semyon Skrepetsky at Biennale. Ph ANSA 
Semyon Skrepetsky
Semyon Skrepetsky (1981–2026), artistic pseudonym of Robert Kuzovkov, was a Russian dissident artist, caricaturist and performer. Through grotesque portraits, icon-like paintings and public actions, he attacked the authoritarian mythology surrounding Vladimir Putin, Joseph Stalin, Ramzan Kadyrov and Alexander Lukashenko.
Living in exile in Poland since 2021, Skrepetsky transformed political satire into an exposed and deliberately dangerous form of resistance. This archive examines his art, his participation in anti-Kremlin protests and his killing in Poland in June 2026. His work remains a stark reminder that, under authoritarian power, an image can still be treated as a threat.
Semyon Skrepetsky at Biennale. Ph ANSA