Exploding Tongues: Language, Art, and the Russian Avant-garde

Coarse Calibration

During the middle third of the Spring, '17 Semester, two classes at Occidental College (ARTS 227 "Introduction to Letterpress Printing (Pedersen) and CSLC 134 / RUSN 334 "Exploding Tongues: Language, Art and The Russian Avant-Garde") collaborate on a book making project, with printed submissions of text and design compiled in a miscellany volume inspired by the Russian Avant-garde. Through creative making of their own products in English, students explore historical literary phenomena, such as "zaum," or "trans-sense" language, a nullification or distortion of meaning through invented words, and abstraction, neo-primitivism, "Rayism," "Suprematism," "Prouns," and other visual innovations that manifest as illustrations and cover and page designs.

The collaboration begins with a two-part meeting, Backwording with Booksters, with presentations by CSLC 134 / RUSN 334 students on Russian Avant-garde art, literature and book arts, followed by a spontaneous book-making activity at the Letterpress Studio, (Dis)Attachment Anxiety, based upon the "exquisite corpse" model. 
 


 

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