Khlebnikov Velimir (cropped), Russian Empire

Khlebnikov is one of the recognized leaders of the Russian avant-garde of the early 20th century, as he was consciously engaged in building a new art. Many Futurists, including Mayakovsky, called him their teacher; there are suggestions that Khlebnikov's poetic language influenced the work of Andrei Platonov, Nikolai Aseev, and Boris Pasternak. At the same time, Khlebnikov often remained in the shadows, as the organizing activities were mainly engaged in David Burliuk and Mayakovsky.