Komfut

Attempt to create communist-affiliated futurist group in January 1919

Komfut or Kom-Fut (Russian: КомФут) was a short lived attempt to create a futurist group affiliated within the Vyborg branch of the Russian Communist Party (RKP(b)) in January 1919.[1]

The preliminary discussions out of which Komfut arose took place in December 1918. On 1 December Vladimir Mayakovsky and Osip Brik attended a meeting at the Viborg District Party School, where they criticised Proletkult and instead argued that only futurism sufficiently grasped both proletarian and revolutionary values. Futurist books were distributed and at a second meeting on 7 December, Mayakovsky read some poetry and was well received by the audience. He was followed by a worker called Alexander Mushtakov who was an ardent supporter of Futurism. Iskusstvo kommuny (Art of the Commune) had just been launched by Izo-Narkompros, the visual arts department of the new People's Commissariat for Enlightenment. In issue 3 (22 December 1918) Mayakovsky's poem Poet rabocij appeared.

It was set up at two meetings of the Viborg District of RKP(b) on January 13 and 19.[2] Boris Kušner was elected chair.

Although short-lived, the term Komfuter persisted as a term used for Futurists who espoused communist politics, whether or not they were members of the Communist Party.[2]: 102–2

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Leach, Robert (2018). Russian Futurist Theatre: Theory and Practice. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9781474436700.
2. ^ a b Jangfeldt, Bengt (1976). Majakovskij and Futurism 1917-21 (PDF). Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International. Retrieved 23 December 2018.