Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Aleksei Kruchyonykh

Role / Field:

Radical Russian Futurist poet, artist, and theorist, inventor of 'zaum' nonsense poetry.

Born:

1886-02-09

Died:

1968-06-17

Century / Era:

1886s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Aleksei Yeliseyevich Kruchyonykh (Russian: Алексе́й Елисе́евич Кручёных; 9 February 1886 – 17 June 1968). Original name at birth (Ukrainian: Олексій Єлисейович Кручений) also romanized Kruchenykh due to confusion about ⟨ё⟩, was a poet, artist, and theorist, perhaps one of the most radical poets of Russian Futurism, a movement that included Vladimir Mayakovsky, David Burliuk and others. Born in 1886, he lived in the time of the Russian Silver Age of literature, and together with Velimir Khlebnikov, another Russian Futurist, Kruchenykh is considered the inventor of zaum, a poetry style utilising nonsense words. Kruchonykh wrote the libretto for the Futurist opera Victory Over the Sun, with sets provided by Kazimir Malevich.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1912, he wrote the poem Dyr bul shchyl; four years later, in 1916, he created his most famous book, Universal War. He is also known for his Declaration of the Word as Such (1913): "The worn-out, violated word "lily" is devoid of all expression. Therefore I call the lily éuy – and original purity is restored." Kruchonykh was born on 21 February 1886, in the Kherson region of the Russian Empire; his parents were peasants. With the intention of becoming...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexander Ostrovsky — Contemporary (Died in 1886) (1886): Master of Russian Realism, Ostrovsky built the national dramatic repertoire.
• Alfonso López Pumarejo — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): Colombian politician and economist, known for progressive reforms and serving two non-consecutive presidential terms.
• Alfonso XIII — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): King of Spain (1886-1931), whose reign spanned constitutional crises and republican upheaval.
• Ajay Devgn — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker known for diverse roles in Hindi cinema.
• Alexander Gettler — Contemporary (Died in 1968) (1968): Pioneering American forensic toxicologist and father of modern medicolegal investigation.
• Alfredo Reinado — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): East Timorese military commander and rebel leader during the 2006 crisis.
• Adolf Galland — Shared historical date (02-09 · Died) (1996): German Luftwaffe general and celebrated flying ace of World War II.
• Adolph Menzel — Shared historical date (02-09 · Died) (1905): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.
• Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar — Shared historical date (06-17 · Died) (1797): Founder of the Qajar Dynasty, who reunified Iran and established Tehran as its capital.
• Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke — Shared historical date (06-17 · Died) (1963): British Field Marshal and Chief of the Imperial General Staff during WWII.
• 1886 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1886
• February 9 (02-09) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 9
• 1968 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1968
• June 17 (06-17) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 17

Frequently Asked Questions about Aleksei Kruchyonykh