Pussy Riot Pitches Metaverse ‘Utopia’ With Virtual Social Network IMVU

Pussy Riot is setting up shop in the metaverse. On Wednesday, during NFT NYC, online virtual social networking site IMVU and Pussy Riot founding member Nadya Tolokonnikova announced the launch of a Web3 community space called Utopia.

Founded in 2004, IMVU is a 3-D virtual world and social network platform where users can create personalized avatars, explore various virtual destinations, and interact with others via chat and events.

No stranger to enlisting Web3 to support important causes, Tolokonnikova was a founding member of Ukraine DAO, which raised money for people affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Unicorn DAO to support women and LGBTQ+ artists. Similarly, Utopia delivers a virtual "Pink Church" to foster gender equality, activism, and social justice while promoting connection, self-expression, and creativity.

“It has always been a dream of mine to create a Pink Church of Feminism,” Tolokonnikova said in a statement. “Eventually, I’ll find a way to build it in real life. But the first step is to launch this vision in the metaverse.”

"It’s very thrilling to launch Utopia in IMVU and make it feminist, queer, diverse and radical," she added.

Long before Web3 was a gleam in Satoshi Nakamoto’s eye, and the idea of creating a metaverse was still only found in the pages of Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash, online games like Second Life, Gaia Online, and IMVU have built bridges from social media to virtual environments.

IMVU says four exclusive NFT drops are planned for Utopia, with the first collection dropping on April 14. Owners of the digital collectible will be able to use them with their IMVU avatars. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of the collectibles will be donated to North Caucasus SOS, a Chechen organization that helps LGBTQIA+ individuals in the region.

During an invite-only event at NFT NYC, Tolokonnikova revealed the collection, and attendees were given a chance to receive a free exclusive NFT.

The Utopia Quest begins on April 17 at noon PST, allowing users to explore the Pink Church and earn an NFT reward. Additionally, a Pride party will be hosted in June to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

Last month, artist and activist Tolokonnikova was added to a list of wanted individuals by the Russian Interior Ministry. The Russian government cited a provocative NFT design as evidence against Pussy Riot under the charge of “hurting the religious feelings” of the people of Russia.