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Abstract:

The article supplements the commentary of Platonov’s review of the magazines “On Post” and “Lef” of 1923: a detailed analysis of the publications mentioned by Platonov is carried out. It is established that Platonov opened a dialogue with Voronsky and the article about “Lef” in “On Post”. Comparison of the aesthetic views of Platonov and Voronsky allowed us to notice not only their divergence, but also similarities. Platonov accepted the concept of art-as- life-building advanced by Chuzhak, which was rejected by Voronsky. Following Voronsky, Platonov, unlike the supporters of “Lef”, defended literature’s right to be artistic. Voronsky pointed out the Futurists’ “fatal flaw”, but his wording turned out to be a definition of the main feature of Platonov’s creative individuality: organic cohesion with working humanity. In his article on Mayakovsky, Voronsky highlighted a number of features that are typical for Platonov. It was first proved that the creative conversation between Platonov and Mayakovsky began in 1923. This is confirmed by the text of “A Story about Many Interesting Things”, where references to the play “Mystery-Bouffe” have been found. In the novel “Chevengur”, elements of a parody of the “Mystery-Bouffe” finale are revealed, coinciding with Voronsky’s remarks about the “consumerism” of the author of the play. It is noticed for the first time that the characteristics of “Lef” given in 1929 by the criticism of the magazine “On Post” were used to accuse Mayakovsky and Platonov of anarchism.