"Art" #4, 2001

The literature section of Art Magazine offers the reader an interesting selection of poetry and prose. Two authors are featured in the magazine for the first time - I. Belykh and L. Iziurova. Belykh may well be a fairly well-known prose-writer within the republic but the publication of Iziurova's story, "The Life and Death of White Stones", marks her literary debut. In a setting of ostensible simplicity, with the heroine's worries about and relationship to her beloved, the ancient conflict between the corporeal and the spiritual appears, when it seems that her corporeality is no less spiritual - perhaps even more so - than his spirituality is corporeal. The reader must draw his own conclusions as to the meaning of the story. G. lushkov has kindly provided the magazine with a selection of his songs. This issue also gives you the chance to acquaint yourself with the poetry of V. Sokolov, a gulag poet and altogether a person with a tragic fate. In fact, this whole issue is dedicated to the remembrance of political repression and the editorial board has created a section entitled "Remembrance", which publishes works on this theme. Art-Fact features V. Khlebnikova's "Dramatis Personae", and an interview with artist A. Moshev. V. Khlebnikova is the granddaughter of Velemir (Viktor) Khlebnikov, the famous turn of the century poet. Her father, Maj Miturich-Khlebnikov, used to teach in the very institute where future Komi artist, A. Moshev, studied and as Moshev goes on to point out, getting to know Miturich played a significant role in his future as a professional artist.

Translated by Desmond Tumulty