The Seventh Studio Case: What Kirill Serebrennikov means to Russia’s art world

On Friday, June 26, a Moscow court announced verdicts in the controversial “Seventh Studio” case involving the alleged embezzlement of almost 129 million rubles (about $1.9 million) allocated to the Culture Ministry’s “Platforma” project (a state-led contemporary art incubator). All four defendants — director Kirill Serebrennikov, former Culture Ministry official Sofia Apfelbaum, former “Seventh Studio” general producer Alexey Malobrodsky, and the studio’s former CEO, Yuri Itin — maintain their innocence.

This week, “The Naked Pravda” takes a closer look at Kirill Serebrennikov to try to understand what makes him so special in Russia’s art world.

In this episode:

• (2:54) Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker's Moscow correspondent and the author of the new book “Between Two Fires: Truth, Ambition, and Compromise in Putin’s Russia,” explains the contradictions that have defined Serebrennikov’s career in theater.
• (7:04) Maria Alyokhina, a founding member of Pussy Riot and Mediazona, describes what makes Serebrennikov unique in Moscow’s art scene and how he cultivated solidarity among artists and entertainers.
• (18:06) The Calvert Journal features editor Katie Marie Davies explains the role of state subsidies in Russian theater and cinema.

“The Naked Pravda” comes out on Fridays. Catch every new episode by subscribing at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or other platforms. If you have a question or comment about the show, please write to Kevin Rothrock at kevin@meduza.io with the subject line: “The Naked Pravda.”

Producer, sound editing, and mixing — Kevin Rothrock

Send any questions or comments to kevin@meduza.io

Executive producer — Alexandr Sadikov

Music — Victor Davydov

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies by Kevin MacLeod / Link / License

Thinking Music by Kevin MacLeod / Link / License