Osip Brik

Osip Maksimovich Brik (January 16 1888–February 221945), avant-garde Russian writer and literary criticist, was one of the most important members of the Russian formalist school, though he also identified himself as one of the Russian Futurists. Osip was one of the co-founders of the magazine LEF ("???", Levy front isskustva—Leftist Front for the Arts), which was also an official publication for the group with the same name, and a platform for Russian Constructivist art. Later the magazine was renamed Novi Lef (New Left).

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After Stalin's rise to power, the communist regime openly encouraged exclusively socialist realism methods and initiated campaign to stamp out all culture the Communist Party perceived as dangerous. Most avant-garde artists and thinkers suffered persecution, and Brik did not escape this fate.

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His wife Lilya Brik was the object of Vladimir Mayakovsky's romantic and literary attentions, and his sister-in-law Elsa Triolet was Louis Aragon's wife.

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January 16: January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 349 days remaining (350 in leap years)....

1888: 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). In Germany, 1888 is known as the 1888 Year of Three Emperors....

February 22: February 22 is the 53rd day of every year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 312 days remaining, 313 in leap years....