Ego-Futurism
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Ego-Futurism was a Russian literary movement of the 1910s, developed within
Russian Futurism Russian Futurism is the broad term for a movement of Russian poets and artists who adopted the principles of Filippo Marinetti's "Manifesto of Futurism," which espoused the rejection of the past, and a celebration of speed, machinery, violence ...
by
Igor Severyanin Igor Severyanin (russian: И́горь Северя́нин; pen name, real name Igor Vasilyevich Lotaryov: И́горь Васи́льевич Лотарёв; May 16, 1887 – December 20, 1941) was a Russian poet who presided over the circle ...
and his early followers. While part of the Russian Futurism movement, it was distinguished from the Moscow-based cubo-futurists as it was associated with poets and artists active in Saint Petersburg.


Background

In 1909, the Italian poet
Filippo Tommaso Marinetti Filippo Tommaso Emilio Marinetti (; 22 December 1876 – 2 December 1944) was an Italian poet, editor, art theorist, and founder of the Futurist movement. He was associated with the utopian and Symbolist artistic and literary community Abbaye d ...
began the
Futurist Futurists (also known as futurologists, prospectivists, foresight practitioners and horizon scanners) are people whose specialty or interest is futurology or the attempt to systematically explore predictions and possibilities abou ...
movement by publishing the ''
Manifesto of Futurism The ''Manifesto of Futurism'' (Italian: ''Manifesto del Futurismo'') is a manifesto written by the Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and published in 1909. Marinetti expresses an artistic philosophy called Futurism that was a rejection of ...
''; it called for a total break with the past, in favour of a completely modern world. Very quickly he gained numerous followers, such as the painter
Umberto Boccioni Umberto Boccioni (, ; 19 October 1882 – 17 August 1916) was an influential Italian painter and sculptor. He helped shape the revolutionary aesthetic of the Futurism movement as one of its principal figures. Despite his short life, his approach ...
, and the musician
Luigi Russolo Luigi Carlo Filippo Russolo (30 April 1885 – 4 February 1947) was an Italian Futurist painter, composer, builder of experimental musical instruments, and the author of the manifesto ''The Art of Noises'' (1913). He is often regarded as one of ...
. In 1910, Marinetti went to Russia to lecture on his ideas; it was this year that one of the earliest
Russian Futurist Russian Futurism is the broad term for a movement of Russian poets and artists who adopted the principles of Filippo Marinetti's "Manifesto of Futurism," which espoused the rejection of the past, and a celebration of speed, machinery, violence, ...
groups began: led by
David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
and
Wladimir Burliuk Wladimir Davydovych Burliuk (russian: Владимир Давидович Бурлюк; – 1917) was a Russian avant-garde artist (Neo-Primitivist and Cubo-Futurist) and book illustrator. He died at the age of 32 in 1917 in World War I. Biograp ...
, it was called 'Hylea', and its members included poets who would later become
Cubo-Futurist Cubo-Futurism (also called Russian Futurism or Kubo-Futurizm) was an art movement that arose in early 20th century Russian Empire, defined by its amalgamation of the artistic elements found in Italian Futurism and French Analytical Cubism. Cubo- ...
s, the rivals of the Ego-Futurists.
Igor Severyanin Igor Severyanin (russian: И́горь Северя́нин; pen name, real name Igor Vasilyevich Lotaryov: И́горь Васи́льевич Лотарёв; May 16, 1887 – December 20, 1941) was a Russian poet who presided over the circle ...
, the founder of Ego-Futurism, was already a poet, writing under the influence of two Russian Impressionist poets,
Konstantin Fofanov Konstantin Mikhailovich Fofanov ( rus, Константи́н Миха́йлович Фо́фанов, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ ˈfofənəf, a=Konstantin Mihaylovich Fofanov.ru.vorb.oga; May 30, 1862 – May 30, 1911) was a R ...
and
Mirra Lokhvitskaya Mirra Lokhvitskaya (russian: Ми́рра Ло́хвицкая; born Maria Alexandrovna Lokhvitskaya – russian: Мари́я Алекса́ндровна Ло́хвицкая; November 19, 1869 – August 27, 1905) was a Russian poet who rose t ...
. His Futurist ideas were developing in 1910, and by the next year he was ready.


History


Early years

Ego-Futurism was born in either the summer of or in November that year, when Severyanin published a small brochure titled ''Prolog (Ego-Futurism).'' The first Ego-Futurist publication, it insulted contemporary verse, declared that poetry would soon have to undergo a complete transformation to suit modernity, and claimed that he himself was already famous throughout Russia. Although a group of four Ego-Futurist poets calling themselves the 'Ego-group' had already been formed that October, they only issued their manifesto after ''Prolog'' was published, and began their activities in January the following year. The four original members - Severyanin,
Konstantin Olimpov Konstantin Konstantinovich Olimpov (Russian: Константин Константинович Олимпов) (1889–1940) Birth name Konstantin Konstantinovich Fofanov (Russian: Константин Константинович Фофанов) ...
(Fofanov's son),
Georgy Ivanov Georgy Vladimirovich Ivanov (russian: Гео́ргий Влади́мирович Ива́нов; in Puki Estate, Seda Volost, Kovno Governorate – 26 August 1958 in Hyères, Var, France) was a leading poet and essayist of the Russian emigrati ...
, and
Graal Arelsky Graal-Arelsky ( rus, Граа́ль-Аре́льский, p=ɡrɐˈalʲ ɐˈrʲelʲskʲɪj, a=Graal' Aryelskiy.ru.vorb.oga; 1889-1937) or Stepan Stephanovich Petrov ( rus, Сте́фан Сте́фанович Петро́в, p=ˈsʲtʲɛfən ˈsʲ ...
- then issued a manifesto illustrating their intentions, now calling themselves the 'Academy of Ego-Poetry'. The group began to hold loud public events to gain publicity, but little information is available related to these. The ideology of Ego-Futurism has been described as founded on a personality cult and the poet's abhorrence of the crowd. In November 1912, after an argument with Olimpov and a new member, the poet Ivan Ignatiev, Severyanin officially left the group; nonetheless, he still identified himself as an Ego-Futurist, and continued to publish in their almanacs. Ignatiev took charge of the group, and in the January 1913 manifesto signed by himself and several new members, he renamed the academy to its present name. One of the most notable poets from the second phase of Ego-Futurism was
Vasilisk Gnedov Vasily Ivanovich Gnedov ( rus, Васи́лий Ива́нович Гне́дов, p=vɐˈsʲilʲɪj ɪˈvanəvʲɪdʑ ˈɡnʲedəf, a=Vasiliy Ivanovich Gnyedov.ru.vorb.oga), better known by the pen name Vasilisk Gnedov ( rus, Васили́ск Г ...
; in 1913, he would publish a book of poems, where the quantities of words used would diminish, and end with the phrase ''
The Poem of the End The ''Poem of the End'' (russian: поэма конца, 'poema kontsa') is the name of two poems by Russian poets of the early 20th century. Poem of the End (usually given in English without an article) is the best known poem by Russian poet Vas ...
'' printed on an otherwise-blank page. He was stylistically the closest to the Cubo-Futurists.


Peak of influence

By 1913, groups inspired by Ego-Futurism began to appear, for example the 'Mezzanine of Poetry', a group founded by
Vadim Shershenevich Vadim Gabrielevich Shershenevich (russian: Вадим Габриэлевич Шершеневич; 25 January 1893 – 18 May 1942) was a Russian poet. He was highly prolific, working in more than one genre, moving from Symbolism to Futurism after ...
. It was dissolved by 1914, and Shershenevich joined the Cubo-Futurists. From the beginning, there were several differences between the
Cubo-Futurism Cubo-Futurism (also called Russian Futurism or Kubo-Futurizm) was an art movement that arose in early 20th century Russian Empire, defined by its amalgamation of the artistic elements found in Italian Futurism and French Analytical Cubism. Cubo- ...
and Ego-Futurism; for example, in their almanacs, they published
Symbolist Symbolism was a late 19th-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts seeking to represent absolute truths symbolically through language and metaphorical images, mainly as a reaction against naturalism and realis ...
poetry alongside their own, whilst the Cubo-Futurist poets completely rejected the past, going so far as to declare that famous authors, for example
Fyodor Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
, had to be "pushed off the steamboat of modernity" immediately. Severyanin also decried excessive objectivity of the
Cubo-Futurist Cubo-Futurism (also called Russian Futurism or Kubo-Futurizm) was an art movement that arose in early 20th century Russian Empire, defined by its amalgamation of the artistic elements found in Italian Futurism and French Analytical Cubism. Cubo- ...
s, advocating a more subjective attitude. Although other
Russian Futurists Russian Futurism is the broad term for a movement of Russian poets and artists who adopted the principles of Filippo Marinetti's "Manifesto of Futurism," which espoused the rejection of the past, and a celebration of speed, machinery, violence, ...
dismissed the Ego-Futurists as puerile and vulgar, Severyanin argued that his advancement of outspoken sensuality, neologisms and ostentatious selfishness qualifies as
futurism Futurism ( it, Futurismo, link=no) was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy, and to a lesser extent in other countries, in the early 20th century. It emphasized dynamism, speed, technology, youth, violence, and objects such ...
. Despite their differences, the group briefly united in 1914; unfortunately for the project, Shershenevich was involved, and he took advantage of a group tour to publish, in the group journal, an attack against the Ego-Futurists and a Moscow Futurist group, 'Centrifuge'.
Boris Pasternak Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...
, a member of Centrifuge, retorted with a satirical article against him, leading to a verbal battle between certain members of the groups for recognition as the first, truest Futurists. In 1913–4, the Cubo-Futurist poets
Vladimir Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky (, ; rus, Влади́мир Влади́мирович Маяко́вский, , vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ məjɪˈkofskʲɪj, Ru-Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky.ogg, links=y; – 14 Apr ...
, Vasilly Kamensky, and
David Burliuk David Davidovich Burliuk (Давид Давидович Бурлюк; 21 July 1882 – 15 January 1967) was a Russian-language poet, artist and publicist associated with the Futurist and Neo-Primitivist movements. Burliuk has been described as ...
decided to tour Russia with poetry recitals. Severyanin occasionally joined in, but it was during this time that the collaboration ended, due to an argument with Burliuk and Mayakovsky.


Decline

The movement had begun to fall apart when Severyanin officially abandoned the group to begin his solo career in 1912, and was finished by 1916.


Legacy

The Ego-Futurists significantly influenced the Imaginists of the 1920s.


Poets related to Ego-Futurism

* Sergey Alymov *
Graal Arelsky Graal-Arelsky ( rus, Граа́ль-Аре́льский, p=ɡrɐˈalʲ ɐˈrʲelʲskʲɪj, a=Graal' Aryelskiy.ru.vorb.oga; 1889-1937) or Stepan Stephanovich Petrov ( rus, Сте́фан Сте́фанович Петро́в, p=ˈsʲtʲɛfən ˈsʲ ...
* Vadim Bayan *
Vasilisk Gnedov Vasily Ivanovich Gnedov ( rus, Васи́лий Ива́нович Гне́дов, p=vɐˈsʲilʲɪj ɪˈvanəvʲɪdʑ ˈɡnʲedəf, a=Vasiliy Ivanovich Gnyedov.ru.vorb.oga), better known by the pen name Vasilisk Gnedov ( rus, Васили́ск Г ...
*
Boris Gusman Boris Yevseyevich Gusman (1892–1944) was a Soviet author, screenplay writer, theater director, and columnist for ''Pravda''. As deputy director for the Bolshoi Theatre and later director of the Soviet Radio Committee Arts Division, Gusman playe ...
*
Georgy Ivanov Georgy Vladimirovich Ivanov (russian: Гео́ргий Влади́мирович Ива́нов; in Puki Estate, Seda Volost, Kovno Governorate – 26 August 1958 in Hyères, Var, France) was a leading poet and essayist of the Russian emigrati ...
* Ivan Ignatiev * Pavel Kokorin * Ivan Lukash *
Igor Severyanin Igor Severyanin (russian: И́горь Северя́нин; pen name, real name Igor Vasilyevich Lotaryov: И́горь Васи́льевич Лотарёв; May 16, 1887 – December 20, 1941) was a Russian poet who presided over the circle ...
* Peter Larionov * Dmitri Kryuchkov *
Konstantin Olimpov Konstantin Konstantinovich Olimpov (Russian: Константин Константинович Олимпов) (1889–1940) Birth name Konstantin Konstantinovich Fofanov (Russian: Константин Константинович Фофанов) ...
*
Rurik Ivnev Rurik Ivnev (russian: Рю́рик И́внев), born Mikhail Alexandrovich Kovalyov (russian: Михаи́л Алекса́ндрович Ковалёв) ( – 19 February 1981), was a Russian poet, novelist and translator. Biography Earl ...
*
Vadim Shershenevich Vadim Gabrielevich Shershenevich (russian: Вадим Габриэлевич Шершеневич; 25 January 1893 – 18 May 1942) was a Russian poet. He was highly prolific, working in more than one genre, moving from Symbolism to Futurism after ...
* Georgy Shengeli * Pavel Shirokov * Lev Zak


See also

*
Velimir Khlebnikov Viktor Vladimirovich Khlebnikov, better known by the pen name Velimir Khlebnikov ( rus, Велими́р Хле́бников, p=vʲɪlʲɪˈmʲir ˈxlʲɛbnʲɪkəf; – 28 June 1922) was a Russian poet and playwright, a central part of th ...
*
Zaum Zaum (russian: зáумь) are the linguistic experiments in sound symbolism and language creation of Russian Futurist poets such as Velimir Khlebnikov and Aleksei Kruchenykh. Zaum is a non-referential phonetic entity with its own ontology. The ...
* ''Zangesi'' *
Cubo-Futurism Cubo-Futurism (also called Russian Futurism or Kubo-Futurizm) was an art movement that arose in early 20th century Russian Empire, defined by its amalgamation of the artistic elements found in Italian Futurism and French Analytical Cubism. Cubo- ...
*
Futurism Futurism ( it, Futurismo, link=no) was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy, and to a lesser extent in other countries, in the early 20th century. It emphasized dynamism, speed, technology, youth, violence, and objects such ...
*
Dada Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (Zurich), Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 192 ...


References

* ''Russkiy futurizm. Teoriya. Praktika. Kritika. Vospominaniya.'' ('Russian Futurism. Theory. Practice. Criticism. Memoir.'). Moscow, 1999. * Petrova, E. (2000) ''Russkiy futurizm'' ('Russian Futurism'). SPb., 2000 {{Avant-garde Futurist movements Russian literary movements Russian poetry 20th-century Russian literature