On April 22, Ukrainian actor Aleksey Yudnikov was taken by police for questioning after his protest performance near the Russian national pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The pavilion remains vacant this year after artists Alexandra Sukhareva, Kirill Savchenkov, and curator Raimundas Malašauskas withdrew in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Yudnikov’s performance involved a satirical portrayal, where he donned a cutout of President Vladimir Putin’s face over his crotch while dressed as Fantômas, a villain from French films popular in the USSR. “I aimed to contrast abstract evil with real personified evil,” Yudnikov explained to Hyperallergic. The performance evolved with Yudnikov re-emerging as a gopnik, a stereotype merging American ‘hicks’ and ‘thugs,’ with Putin’s face mask now covering his own.
He highlighted that this stereotype resonates with elites, noting Putin’s use of this subculture’s language to appear relatable. Yudnikov’s act also referenced Nikolai Gogol’s 1835 story The Nose, illustrating the absurdity of authority. A veteran of the Moscow theater group Teatr.doc, Yudnikov fled to Helsinki in March 2022, where he is part of Artists at Risk, a nonprofit aiding those under political threat.
During the performance, police in riot gear observed and later detained Yudnikov for over 40 minutes without legal counsel. Artists at Risk co-directors Marita Muukkonen and Ivor Stodolsky reported that officials questioned Yudnikov on his Russian-language comments and whether he criticized Italy or its politicians. Upon his negative response, he was released without facing penalties.
Previously, Russian-born artist Vadim Zakharov also protested at the pavilion, denouncing Russian propaganda. The Venice Biennale has added an open-air exhibition featuring Ukrainian artists’ works, created post-invasion. As of April 25, Ukraine has recorded 5,718 civilian casualties, with Russia continuing military actions, including striking railway stations and surrounding Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant.
