Valeri Scherstjanoi

About

Valeri Scherstjanoi, the Russian architect of sound poetry, navigated the liminal space where textual exploration and sonic experimentation meet. His work, active from 1950 to 1996, unfolded like a fractal, each release a self-contained universe. With 27 releases, primarily on tape and in magazines, Scherstjanoi’s process-driven approach redefined the contours of performance and recorded sound. Notably, "Requiem Postzaum" (1996) stands as a pivotal tape release, a sculptural narrative woven from fragmented language and resonant sounds. The Akademie Schloss Solitude provided fertile ground for Scherstjanoi’s interdisciplinary ventures, particularly with "eine Sprechoper" (1995), a piece that blurred lines between spoken word opera and abstract soundscape. His live performances, such as the one at Gorem festival Stockholm 1993, were not mere recitals; they were events where the audience became part of the performance’s fractal geometry, each listener a node in the network of sound. Scherstjanoi operated within a sphere of self-released works and collaborations across diverse labels like Galerie Marstall and Edition Scribentismus. His work was sculptural, each release an artifact of his poetic narrative. From "Sense - Non - Sense Berlin" (1993) to the visual poetry of "Ex Libris - Visuelle Poesie" (1987), his output was as interdisciplinary as it was exploratory, engaging with the very fabric of language and sound.