Despite a ground shaking beat booming throughout Pussy Riot’s music video, “I Can’t Breathe”, silence fills the heart and mind of a transformed viewer. This video is a peaceful, powerful and creative way to protest the ongoing issue of police brutality across the world. Furthermore, the video specifically cites the death of Eric Garner, a black adult male selling single cigarettes without tax stamps, who was choked to death on camera in broad daylight on a sidewalk in New York City. Garner repeatedly said that he could not breathe as he was choked to death. To begin the video, the 0:52 mark visualizes a shovel drizzling dirt at two pairs of boots of what is assumed to be two women laid down in a emptied out dirt coffin of sorts. Specifically, the 1:31 mark shows the upper bodies of two women with dirt covered eyes being buried alive without resisting. This serves as a representation of the the defenselessness that victims of terror feel. Similarly, the 3:50 mark paints imagery of six used shovels, an empty pack of cigarettes, and a graveyard esque background presumingly above the buried bodies. Such a scene illustrates the slow, yet continuous suffering that Garner went through. The shovel acts as a visual motif that remains consistent in all three scenes. The tool is crushing their cry for equality illustrated through the burying of the women. The gravedigger’s shovel functions as a symbol of death as means to emphasize the overarching issue of oppression and police brutality across the world.

Pussy Riot’s music video “I Can’t Breathe” uses the compelling metaphor of unrevealed murderers using shovels to bury two girls alive in hopes to bring attention to the many others that live in fear and continue to endure suffering similar to Garner’s. The 0:52 mark uses a close up high angle shot to reveal the main setting of the video. Leading up to this mark, viewers only see the dirt ground and an empty cigarette pack. Suddenly, a deep dirt hole with human legs takes the stage. One can look at this scene two ways. To start, this scene captures how quickly and unpredicated racial oppression has come to the surface of the media recently. Few americans knew how severe of an issue violence towards african americans, specifically young males,  actually was until videos such as Eric Garner’s went online. Still, the violence continues. Notable deaths following Eric Garner include Michael Brown, Tony Robinson, and Freddie Gray. All of whom were killed at the hands of the police. With public light now surrounding these injustices and the BLM Movement operating in full swing, cases of police violence will hopefully diminish and leave their unfortunate place in the United States States of America. Next, the abruptness of the image stands for a call to action. Just as the camera jumps from a normal dirt surface to the same dirt surface few feet lower meant for burying the dead, we must acknowledge the problem and do what we can to axe it without delay. The normal dirt itself represents feelings of racism and injustice. Once the same dirt surface is being tossed on top of a dead body, the dirt represents racism in actions of hatred that happen everyday in our society. 

The idea of being buried alive is gruesome. As a viewer, one almost expects the two women to express signs of fear and even attempt to save themselves. However, that is not the case, and that is exactly how the video intends for one to feel. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the very definition of oppression states “an unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power” meaning those experiencing the oppression have no real option to fight back. Pussy Riot again uses a close up and a high angle combination shot forcing viewers to look directly down at the women as they die. The camouflage outfits covering the two women represent the lack of awareness surrounding the issue of police brutality. Furthermore, instances of discrimination and unwarranted brute force exhibited by policemen are prone to being overlooked. The shovel is not shown on camera, but viewers can tell it is being used off screen to throw dirt on the faces of the women. The police force resembles the off screen shovel as they are often hidden by their titles as peace keepers. This scene forces viewers into a first person perspective where they feel like they are using the shovel themselves. In other words, one feels the burden of responsibility for the death of these women simply by watching the video. This effect further clinches the intensified emotions of the scene. Pussy Riot is directing this visual text at you, at us, and at American society as a whole. For too many years this issue has been swept under the rug. In the present day social media era, many of us are finally publically acknowledging an inherent flaw in our justice system. 

At the 3:50 mark, Pussy Riot utilizes the aerial shot to create a setting of lifelessness. In this scene, six shovels are on full display strewn across the ground out numbering the two buried victims. This video is designed to appeal to our emotions, and this scene strengthens such an effect. This visual text does not kindly ask for change, it indirectly demands change through powerful symbolism. The shovels represent authors of injustice and show the difficult nature of the battle against oppression. The number of shovels outweigh the number of buried bodies showing the uphill battle the common american faces when vocalizing issues with the hierarchy. The color scheme presented bodes dark and gloomy shades of black helping viewers understand the gravity of the situation. The empty pack of cigarettes reminds us that the death of Eric Garner will not be forgotten; in fact, Garner’s death will live within the minds of protesters as evidence of social injustice.  

Pussy Riot’s sense of urgency and crafty depiction of the gravedigger’s shovel scene by scene is motivating for people of all ages, genders, and races to stand up for what is right and just. While the 0:52, 1:31 and 3:50 marks captivate the theme of the video, the lyrics and instrumentals add an irreplaceable effect as well. The repeated words, “It’s getting dark in New York City” followed by “I need to catch my breathe” sarcastically allude to the absurdity of Garner’s death. The title of Pussy Riot’s video “I Can’t Breathe” reaffirms the overarching message of disparity between the justice system and people of color. The eerie recurring image of the shovel plants a seed within us to help change the trajectory of social injustice. Most importantly, the fight against police brutality and oppression towards innocent civilians must be addressed. As the video comes crashing to an end with the speaker crying out in anguish, viewers are left with a feeling of discomfort and obligation to promote change. 
