Tomi Huttunen

Born Februrary 4, 1971, Kuusankoski

Master of Arts 1997, Licentiate 1999, PhD 2007 (Russian language and literature), University of Helsinki
Docent in Russian literature and culture 2010–, University of Helsinki

Professor of Russian literature and culture 2014–, University of Helsinki
Acting professor of Russian literature 2012–2014, acting lecturer 2011–2012 and postdoctoral researcher 2008–2010, University of Helsinki
Coordinator 2003–2007, Academy of Finland research project: Pietari/Leningrad: kertomus – historia – nykyisyys (‘St Petersburg / Leningrad: the story – the history – the present’)
Editor 2002–2012, the journal Idäntutkimus (‘East Studies’)
Doctoral student, 1997–2002, Alexanteri Institute and University of Helsinki

Publications, research projects and other academic activity

Research themes:
The Russian avant-garde, Russian Imaginism (Anatoly Marienhof), montage in Russian culture (cultural semiotics), Russian post-modernism (Lev Rubinstein), Russian rock music and poetry

Research projects:
Autogenetic Russian Avantgarde (Kone Foundation, 2013–2015) and Mötet mellan den ryska och den finlandssvenska modernismen (The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, 2015–2017)

Awards and special achievements:
National Library of Finland Customer of the Year 2014
Finnish Academy of Science and Letters scholarship for an outstanding doctoral dissertation 2008
Society of Finnish Slavists MA Thesis Award 1997
University of Helsinki Alumni Association student prize 1996

Tomi Huttunen’s motto: “The University of Helsinki is better as a band than a brand. If we play well together, we can make some hits.”

Photo: Kirill Reznik
Written by Tomi Huttunen (Riitta-llona Hurmerinta ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington

Autogenetic Russian avant-garde

The Autogenetic Russian Avantgarde project studies Russian avant-garde literature and culture, which began as a rebellion and went on to win global fame. The project analyses the tendency of the Russian avant-garde to declare itself part of nothing, independent, wholly unanticipated – autogenetic.

Unanticipated, unpredictable, even counter to expectations – these are qualities that are easy to associate with Russia and qualities indispensable to Russian studies.

In Russian culture, autogenesis refers to an absolute lack of precedent in the history of Russian culture. Study of an autogenetic phenomenon, a phenomenon proclaiming itself to be transrational, means an attempt to explain the unexplainable. The theory of transrational language is simultaneously an incomprehensible and a thoroughly Russian phenomenon.

Consider for example Dyr bul shchyl, the transrational poem by Aleksei Kruchenykh, or the Suprematist painting Black Square by Kazimir Malevich

A genuinely creative, unanticipated autogenetic work of art will turn from unanticipated to anticipated, from incomprehensible to comprehensible through a process described in the attached diagram.

The recipient does not understand an unanticipated message, a transrational work of art, because they lack the language to receive it. The language for understanding such a phenomenon develops by stages within a culture. The point of origin is the vertical arrow (1.) in the middle of the diagram. This is the autogenetic text, followed by the reactions of the culture (2.–6.), such as criticism, analysis, adaptation, imitation, and translation. Imitations represent the stage where the recipient can understand the text without problem; therefore works such as bestsellers are often skilful imitations. Cultural translations – such as film adaptations – also assist in the emergence of a new language (7.). The emergence of this language then enables us to finally understand how this phenomenon has emerged within the culture.

Since in culture nothing can emerge from nowhere, this research explores the tradition concealed by the Russian avant-garde and its hidden foreign roots. In its popularised applications, the project will also answer questions on the sources of radical Russian modern art, e. g. the contexts of Pussy Riot and Voina and their historical antecedents.

“The unanticipated in Russian culture”, an abridged version of the manifesto presented by Dr Tomi Huttunen at the Conference on Russian and Eastern European Studies, March 9 2010.