Presentations by Streams

This panel marks a pioneering effort, being the first ever dedicated solely to the exploration of Ekaterina Bakunina's literary legacy. One of the forgotten figures of the Russian interwar diaspora, she explored topics as varied as national identity, women's physicality and sexuality and motherhood. Her work, particularly her feminist themes, positioned her ahead of her contemporaries, yet she faced neglect and criticism, largely stemming from her outspokenness, especially regarding the woman’s body, identity and position in society. The three talks in this panel will focus on different aspects of her oeuvre. In the first presentation, the presenter will analyse Bakunina’s poetry, delving into its intricate themes of identity and its distinctive "human document" style. Through this lens, the presentation aims to position Bakunina's lyrical work within the broader context of her literary contemporaries.The second talk will focus on the aspects of physicality and memory in the Bakunina's first novel Тело (1933). The last take will center around the notions of gender, identity and motherhood in Bakunina's second and last novel Любовь к шестерым (1935) and especially in the author's notions of maternity and matrimony in the context of both her émigré and Soviet contemporaries. The talks are arranged according to the chronology of Bakunina’s publications in order to follow the evolution of her writing. The panel will provide an excellent opportunity to reevaluate Bakunina’s contributions to literature and her place in the Russian émigré and feminist canons.