Russian political artist creates a fiery menace, but it’s quickly extinguished

Pyotr Pavlensky, a 34-year-old artist from Saint Petersburg, was arrested after dousing the doors of the FSB, the Russian security agency, with gasoline and setting it ablaze. 

It's all on video.

The artist and political activist titled this political prank “Menace.” He described his "performance" as "a glove thrown by society in the face of terrorist threat” by the FSB, an organization he said “operates through continuous terror and holds power over 146 million people.” 

In his press release, Pavlensky spoke out against "terrorism" by the FSB and said that "the threat of inevitable reprisals hangs over everyone within the range of security cameras, phone-tapping and passport control borders."

"This isn’t the first time he's done very political art that has grabbed headlines here and around the world,” says Moscow-based reporter Charles Maynes. A couple of years ago, during the infamous Pussy Riot trial, Pavlensky literally sewed his mouth shut to protest the trial that was going on in Moscow. Another time he nailed his scrotum to Red Square. “So he’s kind of a master of these onetime political street acts of art and certainly most of his work is tailored to the themes of police state and oppression in contemporary Russia.”

Like Pussy Riot, Pavlensky is part of the diverse scene of punk street performance art that exists in Russia, with very heavy political overtones.

His stunt has already become an Internet sensation. Once again, Pavlensky has shown that he invites controversy and can grab media attention. At the same time, Pavlensky has been arrested and faces criminal charges that could result in a jail term of up to three years for vandalism. 

Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova paid tribute to Pavlensky in a tweet as "the brains, the conscience and the balls of our era."

But does this form of radical activism resonate with average Russians?

“I don't know that it does at this point,” says Maynes, “because I think a lot of the average Russians probably don't get to hear about it. They certainly don't hear it or see it on state television. 

It's also important to point out that when Pussy Riot became such a big scandal here, it was at a certain moment when the opposition moment was very strong in Russia. It played on people's traditional sense of values and what they approved and didn't approve of.  Pavlensky seems to operate a little bit further afield because there isn't a strong opposition movement right now. In fact, if you look at what Pyotr Pavlensky was trying to do today, it was to wake up society, and he said as much in a statement he released online.”

It will be interesting to see whether the Russian authorities decide to prosecute Pavelnsky to the fullest, or if they think it will just bring him more attention and publicity.

In this regard, Maynes says Pavlensky may be playing his cards with authorities just right. “I mean Pavlensky’s clearly a very smart artist, and he has very serious intentions. I think it's a question of whether they want to essentially give him more exposure and credibility.”