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Artist flees Russia after painting Putin and Medvedev in pants Artist flees Russia after painting Putin and Medvedev in pants
(about 2 hours later)
A museum director says an artist whose paintings depicted the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, in women's undergarments has fled the country.A museum director says an artist whose paintings depicted the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, in women's undergarments has fled the country.
The director of St Petersburg's Museum of Power, Tatiana Titova, said Konstantin Altunin had left for France and was planning to request asylum there. Konstantin Altunin had left for France and was planning to request asylum there, said the director of St Petersburg's Museum of Power, Tatiana Titova.
The authorities removed four of Altunin's satirical depictions of Russian politicians on Monday and shut down the exhibition.The authorities removed four of Altunin's satirical depictions of Russian politicians on Monday and shut down the exhibition.
A police statement did not specify which laws may have been violated by the provocative works. A Russian law prohibits insulting state authorities; another law bans so-called homosexual propaganda aimed at minors. Police did not specify which laws may have been violated by the provocative works. One Russian law bans insulting state authorities; another prohibits "homosexual propaganda" aimed at minors.
Last year, an exhibit that depicted members of the Pussy Riot punk band as holy icons drew the ire of religious and pro-government activists, who protested against the exhibition's opening. Last year, an exhibit that depicted members of the punk band Pussy Riot as holy icons drew the anger of religious and pro-government activists, who protested against the exhibition's opening.
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