N.Filimonov publishing
  contemporary russian poetry

collection of modern russian poetry by Igor Fedorov, Mikhail Kukin and Konstantin Gadaev, Alexandr Strakhov

  

Moscow, 2005, N.Filimonov publishers

Despite all their stylistic differences, the poets share a devotion to the living tradition of Russian poetry, its (quoting Hodasevich) “stern freedom and sinuous rules”. The poets Kukin, Fedorov and Gadaev, while trying to avoid exploiting the conventional poetic games, seek that «blissful precision» which Timur Kibirov implores Calliope to bestow to him in the beginning of the poem “Sortiry”. The general trend of their literary experiments allowed the publisher to unite these three poetry collections into a single series. 

Mikhail Kukin (Philology BA) was born in 1962 in Moscow. He began writing his poetry at the early age of 13. Since 1992 he has been published in various magazines (or journals) such as the Znamiya, Noviy Mir, Druzhba Narodov, and Arion. Throughout the 90s, he has given lectures in various Moscow universities and taught in state schools. He is currently employed as an editor.

Konstantin Gadaev was born in 1967 in Moscow.  One could obtain details of his bibliography from the book «Opyt Schastya».  

Fedorov, Igor Vitalievich. Born in 1963. A Russian poet. Height: above average. Dark hair. Brown eyes. Eyes: dark, narrow. Marital status: single. Drinks occasionally.

Konstantin Gadaev, Mikhail Kukin and Igor Fedorov are three modern Russian poets (originally from Moscow), who have been bound together by long-standing creative collaboration and strong ties of friendship. Several critics have called them the “Konkovskaya Shkola”. Firstly, due to their frequent meetings at Mikhail’s place in the Moscow region called Konkovo, and secondly, as a result of the evident resemblance in their approach to poetry.

This resemblance could, perhaps, be identified in the combination of self-irony and tragedy in the authors’ view of the world, their loyalty to the traditions of Russian classical poetry, their humanism and mutual interest in the contemporary ordinary man and the “ordinary contemporary world” that surrounds him and the poets themselves. This is a renunciation of the post-modern strategies, an attempt to truly communicate with the reader – at times, in a humorous or a confessional manner - but without the deception of the pastiche or the intellectual games.

And yet, according to the critics, Kukin, Fedorov and Gadaev are noticeably diverse and totally independent poets, each with his own unique favourite themes and touches, and with a highly distinctive poetical voice.

Their work is an attempting to convey to the reader their - mostly positive - experiences of life, love, true happiness, friendship and a revelation of the beauty of the created world. According to Leonid Kostyukov (“Nezavisimaya gazeta”, 14^th of April 2005), “the poets of the “Konkov School” possess the peculiar vision, resulting in every detail of the world (including the most tiny and primitive details) forming an argument in favour of the meaningfulness of the whole. Presumably, in finding its place.”

Historian of literature XX centure Oleg Lekmanov "About authors" (15 минут, 3 Mb,  WMA)

Konstantin Gadaev, Igor Fedorov,  Mikhail Kukin

Voices of the poets

Mikhail Kukin:

"Didona"
"Elegia"
"Pervy sneg"
"Noch kak siniy..."
"Zolotoe nebo..."

Konstantin Gadaev

"Ne vchera l'..."
"Schmel"
"Pripomnit vse..."
"Sredi chernykh stvolov..."
"Sebya uvidet'..."

Igor Fedorov

"Nu chto esche skazat..."  
"Vyshel zvezdno..."
"Pamyatnik vozdvig..."
"Chisto klassichesky Blok..."
"Upal prilozhilsya..."

book shops

Saint Petersburg

«Letny Sad»,  Big prospect of Petrograd's Side, 82

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Leipzig

Svetlana Filippova, Paul List Str.8, 4, tel. (0341) 962 80 59

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Geneve

"Les editeurs reunis" 11 rue de la Monagne Sainte-Genevieve - 75005, Paris, tel. (01) 43 54 74 46

M.Kukin, "Times stopped", «Novy Mir», № 2, 1994.
M.Kukin, "Classic... ", «Znamya», № 4, 1998
M.Kukin, "Konkov's direction", «Znamya», № 12, 1998.
M.Kukin, "Flashes", «Znamya», № 9, 2000
M.Kukin, Poems, «Arion», № 3 за 2001
M.Kukin, "Ya sna ne zapomnil....", «Znamya», № 12, 2001
M.Kukin, "Sostav zemli izmenilsya", «Znamya», № 11, 2003

Igor Fedorov, Tygydym, «Znamya», 2001, №12
Igor Fedorov, Remainings of my favorite dogs, «Znamya», № 11 за 2003

Konstantin Gadaev, After Morning Rain,«Novy Mir»,№ 3 за 1994
Konstantin Gadaev, Opyt stchastya, «Znamya», №12 за 2001

Exlibris, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 14.04.2005, Leonid Kostyukov, "Popytka schastya"
Exlibris, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 17.01.2002, Ilya Kukulin, "Ya khotel by zhit ne kstati…"
Asya Syrodeeva, 1998, World of small things,
 

 N. Filimonov Publishing
 contemporary russian poetry