‘I can relate to the Invisible Man...’

Abstract

Gleb Shulpyakov interviewed by Igor Duardovich

In his interview conducted by the critic I. Duardovich, the poet G. Shulpyakov touches on a number of issues: from the definition of a poetic generation to individuality in poetry, and from compilation principles of a poetic anthology to literature’s ontological questions. The interview offers the poet’s insights into the processes currently unfolding in literature, as well as the intellectual, cultural life in general. The poet and critic agree on a number of topics, for example, on a preliminary summary of the decade’s literary achievements, namely, that poetry is suffering a major crisis, while prose advances to prominence. In his comparison of the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, the poet dwells on causes and effects, and the processes at work inside the generation, which are determined by a moment in history. Why does one epoch see explosive growth and bloom, and sprout new names, journals, and artistic movements, whereas another is mute and barren — or is it merely an appearance?