Image: Getty Research Institute
David Burlyuk (American, born Ukraine, 1882-1967) and Vladimir Burlyuk (Ukrainian, 1887-1917)
written by Vasily Kamensky (Russian, 1884-1961)
Tango with Cows (Tango s Korovami), 1914
Book with three lithographs in black and letterpress in black on yellow wallpaper
198 x 202 x 5 mm
Mary and Leigh Block Endowment Fund, 2009.238
Prints and Drawings
These recently acquired books by progressive Russian artists and poets, made between the revolutions of 1905 and 1917, aimed to overthrow conventions of art and society simultaneously. Their makers believed that art and language needed to become immediate and real—part of everyday life—and as a result these Futurist books were willfully made with cheap materials, and appeared purposely unrefined, as if they were products of wild and primitive behavior.
The title of Vasilii Kamenskii's artist's book, "Tango s korovami" (Tango with Cows), evoked the clash between Russian rural culture and growing urban life. The book was printed on sheets of wallpaper.
Page spread from "Tango s korovami : zhelezobetonnyi a poemy," Vasilii Kamenskii, 1914.
Source: Getty Research Institute
These images from
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=11018
Tango With Cows (poem)
Life is shorter than the squeal of a sparrow.Like a dog, regardless, sailing
on an ice floe down the river in spring?
With tinned mirth we look at our destiny.
We - the discoverers of countries -
conquerors of the air -
kings of orange groves
and cattle.
Perhaps we will drink
a glass of wine
to the health of the comets,
expiring diamond blood.
Or better still –
we’ll get a record player.
Well, to hell with you! -
hornless and ironed!
I want one -
to dance one
tango with cows
and to build bridges -
from the tears
of bovine jealousy
to the tears
of crimson girls
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tango_With_Cows
No comments:
Post a Comment