Simon Chikovani facts for kids
Simon Ivanes dze Chikovani (Georgian: სიმონ ჩიქოვანი; born December 27, 1902 – died April 24, 1966) was an important Georgian poet. He started out as a leader of the Georgian Futurist movement, which was a new and exciting style of art and writing. Later in his life, he became a well-known figure within the Soviet government system.
Growing Up and Early Career
Simon Chikovani was born near the town of Abasha. He went to school in Kutaisi and later studied at Tbilisi State University, finishing in 1922. When he was a teenager, he was part of a group called the Blue Horns. This group included young Georgian writers who used a style called Symbolism, which focused on using symbols and ideas in their poetry.
Even though his writing was not about "workers" or "common people," he joined a new group of "Left" poets and became their main spokesperson. In 1924, he was arrested and almost shot while on a trip to Kakheti. This happened during a time called the Red Terror, which followed a Georgian uprising against the Soviet government.
Between 1924 and 1929, Simon Chikovani wrote two collections of poems: ფიქრები მტკვრის პირას (which means "The Thought at the Mtkvari") in 1925, and მხოლოდ ლექსები ("Only Poems") in 1930. These poems made him famous as one of the most original Georgian poets of the 20th century. A British expert named Donald Rayfield said that Chikovani's poems were "energetic and provocative." He often challenged and made fun of older poets, much like the famous Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky.
Starting in 1924, Chikovani was the editor of a well-known Futurist magazine called H2SO4. In this magazine, he often criticized his old friends from the Blue Horns group, especially Titsian Tabidze and Paolo Iashvili.
Later Years and Political Role
After 1930, Simon Chikovani started to move away from his innovative Futurist style. His new poems became more about patriotism (love for his country) and love. This new style was more in line with what the government wanted. He tried to hide his earlier, more experimental work, especially during the Great Purge in 1937. This was a very difficult time when many people were arrested or killed by the government, and his own brother was shot.
Simon Chikovani took on several important roles in the Georgian Union of Writers. He was a secretary from 1930 to 1932, and then he became its president from 1944 to 1951. He also served as a deputy (a representative) in the Supreme Soviet from 1950 to 1954.
Today, there are streets named after Simon Chikovani in the cities of Tbilisi and Kutaisi in Georgia.
See also
- List of Georgian writers
