Pavel Filonov

(1883 - 1941)

2094

Pavel Filonov

Пропевень о проросли мировой

Propeven o prorosli mirovoi

[Sermon-chant on universal sprouting].

Petrograd: Mirovyi raztsvet, s.a. [1915]

233 x 185 mm. 24 pages

Edition: 300.

Chant about universal sprouting is the only published book with poetry by Filonov. The book is divided in two parts that deal with the first World War. The traditional hostility of the Germans is described and accentuated by an account of actual war cruelty by German soldiers. At the end of part 2, called A chant of a lovely girl deceased, the folk hero Vanka proclaims a new era of light and beatitude. It is not only Filonov’s answer to a cruel war but it depicts the painter as a spiritual man as well. The poem was meant to be read out loud as in a religious service or a holy rite. The language of the poetry is closely allied to the linguistic renewals of Khlebnikov and Kruchenykh in which words are re-defined and sound an meaning are re-created. The cover illustrations and the three book illustrations by Filonov, have no direct link to the text and may have been made earlier than the poetry. The fragmentation of forms and parts of the image is a striking technical element. The repetitions of  these fragmented elements in different variations and combinations can be found both in the verses and in the images. As in the images designed for Khlebnikov’s Selected poems (see nr. 21), all the characteristics of Filonov’s analytical art are to be found in this book.

References:

Leningrad 1930, pp. 33-57

Marcadé1971, p. 99

Leningrad 1977, no. 233

Compton 1978, p. 37

Misler & Bowlt 1983, pp. 14-15

Berlin 1983, p. 22

Leningrad 1988, p. 37

Düsseldorf 1990, p. 21

Mainz 1993, p. 27

Getty 1997, nr. 195

Petergof 2001, p. 95

Hellyer 2006, nr. 111

Offenbach 2016, nr. 11