Maiakovskii abroad in colour and sound: My Discovery of America

Abstract

ABSTRACT Vladimir Maiakovskii travelled to America to give public readings: to be seen and, more importantly, to be heard. However, the fact that Maiakovskii spoke no foreign languages complicated his travels. This is the subject of the author’s inquiry: how does a master of verbal expression cope with being rendered incomprehensible among foreigners, and how does this predicament influence the artistic representation of his experience abroad? The distinguishing feature of Maiakovskii’s travelogue, and the consequence of his temporary muteness in America, is heavy reliance on colour and non-verbal sound to describe and interpret what he sees. Maiakovskii focuses on alternative, non-verbal means of engaging with the foreign that rely on the senses, rather than language. The author traces the functions of colour, sound, and laughter in My Discovery of America: from the poster-like graphics of Maiakovskii’s representation of American cities to a more complex interpretation of their sounds, to the thought-provoking use of laughter.