Petr Verzilov

Biography

Pyotr Verzilov is a Russian-Canadian artist and activist who rose to prominence as the unofficial spokesperson of Pussy Riot after their 2012 arrest. Born in Moscow in 1987, Verzilov studied philosophy at Moscow State University and met his future wife, Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, there. He became a key figure in the performance art group Voina, using provocative performances to challenge Russian reality, including public acts of protest with his pregnant wife in 2008.