Mayakovsky Museum

Mayakovsky was an extroverted, bright and talented Soviet poet. Everyone knows his name,although the public attitude to his works can be quite ambiguous. His literary career began in Butirskaya prison where he was incarcerated for joining the Bolshevik party and interacting with revolutionary students. His first book of poems was confiscated. Following his release from prison, Mayakovsky left the Bolshevik Party and concentrated on “socialistic” art.

In 1912 Mayakovsky first published some controversial literature: “Slap publics taste in the face”. To give you an impression I quote some early extracts “Through Pushkin, Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy from the boat of the contemporary world. …All these Kuzmins and Bunins only want a dacha at the river”

Despite these defamatory declarations, Mayakovsky appreciated Gogol, Dostoyevsky and other famous Russian writers, who influenced him a lot. Why would he write all that? I don’t know.

A significant stage of his career was whilst working for the Russian Telegraphic Agency, normally referred to as per its abbreviation ROSTA. “Okna ROSTA” (“Windows of ROSTA”) was very-well known in the Soviet Union as they produced propaganda and satirical posters. Vladimir Mayakovsky worked for ROSTA as both poet and artist.

Mayakovsky saw his mission to help people gain happiness. From the very beginning he perceived his art as a tool to alter life styles. Mayakovsky denies a helpless God who does nothing for people. He speaks about the “Man-God”. In his mind mankind should be in control of its destiny. In his famous poem “Cloud in trousers” Mayakovsky cries “Down with your love! Down with your art! Down with your religion!”. Mayakovsky offers his love, his art and his belief in a new, beautiful and in all respects “ideal” man.

Mayakovsky Museum is in all respects the same: bright, screaming out loud and controversial.

This poet was a true product of Soviet society and we can’t imagine Soviet Russia without him.