Kharms and Mayakovsky

Moika River Embankment, 20, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191186

Kharms came to Mayakovsky's room in the Eliseevskaya Hotel and asked for permission to read from the stage at the Chapel the declaration of the new literary group.

On October 25, 1928, the first "founding" evening took place at the House of the Press, featuring five poets (including Vaginov). The next day, the Oberiuts (as we can now call them) tried to make themselves known to a wider audience — at Mayakovsky's evening at the Capella.

On the eve of the event, scheduled for October 26, Kharms came to Mayakovsky's room at the Eliseevsky Hotel and asked for permission to read a declaration of the new literary group from the stage at the Capella. Kharms knew how to win over his interlocutor (let us recall his interaction with Malevich). Mayakovsky agreed to give the young poet and his friends a platform, without even bothering to read the declaration in advance. At the beginning of the evening, he announced that "a rather interesting young group" would now perform. The Oberiuts took the stage.

According to Bakhterev, all seven Oberiuts participated in the event; according to other accounts, only Kharms, Vvedensky, and Levin took part. The manifesto (more precisely, its draft version written by Zabolotsky) was read by Vvedensky, followed by poems. The audience received them with some puzzlement, but Mayakovsky rather liked the Oberiuts and took their collections for "New LEF." An article about OBERIU for this publication was specially written by a certain "roving correspondent" of Komsomolskaya Pravda (according to Bakhterev — the aforementioned Klyuykov). Neither the poems nor the article appeared in the magazine. It is said that Osip Brik opposed this performance. Manuscripts by Kharms and Vvedensky were kept in the so-called "LEF trash bin" (the archive of works rejected by the editorial board) and from there ended up in the collection of N.I. Khardzhiev (Kharms's poems were preserved, but Vvedensky's were not).

Source: http://www.d-harms.ru/library/daniil-harms-zhizn-cheloveka-na-vetru4.html

Follow us on social media

More stories from Petersburg of Daniil Kharms, the Genius of the Absurd

Kharms is watching us from his house

11 Mayakovskogo St., Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191014

On the day of remembrance for the brilliant absurdist writer Daniil Kharms, a huge portrait of him appeared on the wall of building No. 11 on Mayakovsky Street in Saint Petersburg.

Kharms is looking at us from his house

11 Mayakovskogo St., Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191014

On the day of remembrance for the brilliant absurdist writer Daniil Kharms, a huge portrait of him appeared on the wall of building No. 11 on Mayakovsky Street in Saint Petersburg.

The Last Shelter of Daniil Kharms

Central Alley, Unnamed Road, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 195273

In St. Petersburg, a burial site for Daniil Kharms has been established. His remains rest at the Piskaryovskoye Cemetery in a mass grave number 9 or 23.

To my crazy son

Nevsky Ave., 22-24, lit. A, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191186

Everything about Daniil was unlike that of ordinary people, even his family.

Youth and Early Poetic Experiments

Leontyevskaya St., 17, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 196627

Graduating from school, first poems

I’ll ask question by question for the lady.

10th Line V.O., 3, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 199034

The Energy Technical School is the last educational institution where Kharms studied.

Kharms and the Beach of Petropavlovka

ter. Peter and Paul Fortress, 6, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 197198

Kra kra krasi fasi perekosi. Object, object, object, object, object, object, object, object, object, object, object, object.

Adult men are like children

Nevsky Ave., 28a, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191186

И прямо рядом с ним находится магазин. Окна большие, занимают всю стену. И в окнах повсюду книги.

Adult men are like children.

Nevsky Ave., 28a, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191186

И прямо рядом с ним находится магазин. Окна большие, занимают всю стену. И в окнах повсюду книги.

Chinaris and OBERIU, Three Left Hours

Fontanka River Embankment, 21, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191023

Who the Oberiuts Are and Why They Are Loved: Their Poems, Antics, and Contribution to Literature

Chinars and OBERIU, Three Left Hours

Fontanka River Embankment, 21, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191023

Who the Oberiuts Are and Why They Are Loved: Their Poems, Antics, and Contribution to Literature

We are made of material meant for geniuses or The Circle of Illiterate Scientists

Gatchinskaya St., 8, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 197136

Starting from 1932, there could be no question of any publications or speeches.

We are made of material meant for geniuses or The Club of Illiterate Scientists

Gatchinskaya St., 8, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 197136

Starting from 1932, there could be no question of any publications or speeches.

War and the Last Days

Arsenalnaya St., 2, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 195009

Yuvachev-Kharms D.I. spreads slanderous and defeatist sentiments among his circle, attempting to incite panic and dissatisfaction with the Soviet Government among the population.

Esoteric juggling and the poetry of the class enemy

Mytininskaya Embankment, 5, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 197198

The magazine *Leningrad* in its publication declared their work by Kharms "hostile to our socialist construction," and equated the creative evening to a sortie of a reactionary group.

Wish Ball

Lenina St., 48, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 197136

Gradually, a person loses their shape and becomes a sphere. And by becoming a sphere, the person loses all their desires.

The Beginning of Creativity and First Poet Friends

Fontanka River Embankment, 50, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 191002

A report on samples of abstract poetic zaum, which distorts and transforms the world from a 360-degree perspective.

Vacation at the Datsan

Primorsky Ave., 91, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 197374

There flashes the golden top of the Buddhist pagoda, and there appears the sea.

Kharms and War

12th Line, 39, entrance from the street, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 199178

We are perishing — God, help us