Novosibirsk Samizdat of the 1980s — early 1990s: Oleg Volov and the "Blumkin Shelter" Partnership

Abstract

The object of the study is the Novosibirsk samizdat of the 1980s - early 1990s, the subject is the socio–cultural ties underlying its creation and distribution. The aim of the work is to present a picture of the existence of the Novosibirsk samizdat of the late Soviet period on the example of the local art community and its involvement in the cultural context of the region. Special attention is paid to the interrelationships between various artistic, literary and musical circles operating in the general field of unofficial culture of the late Soviet era and the first post-Soviet years. The study is not limited to Novosibirsk, it also analyzes the precedent of a large number of republications between independent publications in Novosibirsk and Kostroma. At the center of the study is the figure of the leader of the cultural community (kulturtrager), around whom creative forces unite. The study used comparative historical, source studies, textual methods, the method of content analysis, as well as general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis. The work introduces for the first time into scientific circulation a wide range of sources related to the history of Novosibirsk samizdat and the field in which it was distributed, describes the mutual influences of various local communities of Novosibirsk, which were based on informal publishing practices. The article considers in detail the samizdat magazine "Zelen'", which appeared at the turn of the 1980s - 1990s and is an example of late Soviet samizdat, the traditions of which were preserved in the regional book culture throughout the 1990s. The data given in the article will further serve to recreate the real cultural landscape of Novosibirsk of late Soviet and post-Soviet times with an emphasis on the informal sector of book culture.