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[DEINEKA] Vstretim tretiy [i.e. Let’s meet the third]

Kirsanov, S.

Item #2097

Design and the cover by Alexander Deineka. Moscow; Leningrad: GIZ, 1930. 12 p. 20,4 × 15 cm. Slight soiling of the front wrapper. The bleak traces of children’s fingers on the title page, otherwise a very good copy.

A great collaboration work by two influential Soviet avant-garde figures – poet Semyon Kirsanov (1906-1972) and artist Alexander Deyneka (1899-1969).
One of the last Soviet futurists, Kirsanov wrote his first poem Smeshno, kak budto zhizn' dana [i.e. It’s Funny, as if Life is Given] in Odessa in 1916. From the early years, Kirsanov actively propagated avant-garde tendencies in literature and was the organizing force behind the Southern Association of Futurists (1921). In 1926, Semyon published his first collection of poems Pritsel. Rasskazy v rifmu [i.e. Aim. Stories in Rhyme], which was followed by his most famous work Opyty [i.e. Experiments] a year later. Having achieved widespread fame, Kirsanov together with Alexander Bezymensky, Vladimir Lugovsky, and Ilya Selvinsky, traveled abroad for public appearances in Prague and Paris in 1935. At the beginning of World War II, Kirsanov led the literary brigade in the TASS Windows organized on his initiative and in June 1941 volunteered for the front where he took part in the liberation of Sevastopol and Riga. After demobilization in 1945, Semyon published few collections of poems and actively participated in foreign literary conferences. Among 64 books issued by the author, Slovo predostavlyaetsya Kirsanovu [i.e. The Word Belongs to Kirsanov] (1930) went down in history as a masterpiece of Soviet book design for Solomon Telinganter’s constructivist layout.
Alexander Deyneka was both a very important artist for the establishment of revolutionary art in early 1920s, as well as establishing the principles of Socialist realism, the style that dominated in Soviet art for decades. During the Civil war, he created local ROSTA Windows and designed agitational trains. Moved to Moscow, Deyneka enrolled at VKhUTEMAS and, with other graduates, founded OST society, then was a member of the October group and ‘Vsekokhudozhnik’ institution.
In arts Deyneka was as influential as Mayakovsky in poetry. He designed books, posters, building and street decoration, created paintings and graphics, murals and mosaics. He focused on relevant topics and rhythm of the Soviet life. He is mostly known for images of athletes, praising physical strength, while Deyneka was also attracted to aviation in the 1930s. Among his works are a mural ‘Civil aviation’ (1932) created for kitchen-factory, painting ‘Parachute Jumper’ and watercolor ‘Seaplane over the bay’ ( both 1934).
Two Moscow Metro stations, Mayakovskaya and Novokuznetskaya, have his mosaics. The book itself is great example of cinépoetry in Soviet children’s book – as usual for Kirsanov he has paid a great attention to the layout of the book and composed accordingly with the artist’s vision. As a result each strophe is accompanied by Deineka’s sketch and the rhythm of the poem is emphasized by the illustrations.
The text is dedicated to the greeting of the 3rd year of the 5-year plan, it portraits the workers of Ukraine (Mariupol, Kerch and Donbass feature in verse and images), who are ready to complete the work ahead of schedule.

Price: $1,500.00