неуловимая харчевая русалка

English translation: см. ниже

10:32 Aug 18, 2018
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Russian term or phrase: неуловимая харчевая русалка
In a typewritten copy of an article by the artist Malevich (he of the Black Square) in 1920 in Vitebsk, when he was leading the УНОВИС art movement. The copy had additions by Malevich himself. The title of the article was Живописные доказательства. Новаторы и общество, and was about society’s attitude towards innovators, in particular in the field of the arts.

Какая разница между техникой харчевой, ее гигантскими фабриками и заводами, и культурой художеств. Фабрики строятся для того, чтобы вырабатывать продукты питания, чтобы обеспечить в холе тело . А как ничтожны продукты для культуры художественной. Сколько времени затрачивается на харчевое и сколько дается для последнего. Десятки тысяч лет проходят, чтобы достигнуть харчевых блаженств, и десятки тысяч лет проваливаются . И если бы все люди занялись погоней за этой ***неуловимой харчевой русалкой***, то наверное все бы погибло. Только то существует из этих усилий, что оформлено художником. Жизнь держится теми, которые несут новую реальность, погибая в ужасных условиях и невзгодах, неустанно идя в глубины неизвестного, чтобы из его таинственной тиши принести новую жизнь. Что же для этого делает общество и само государство? Ничего. Вместо того, чтобы помочь человеку, отправляющемуся в путь, оно его считает умалишенным, праздным человеком, предлагающим какие-то абстракты, туманности.

My gut feeling is that in this phrase Malevich is implying that something is mythical. I would like to know how native Russian speakers understand the phrase and their suggestions for it. I would also appreciate their views on the tone set by the use of words based on харчи.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts on the matter.
John Sowerby
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:59
English translation:см. ниже
Explanation:
It says that people are wasting their lives chasing elusive material things, this "неуловимая харчевая русалка", a "mess of pottage" of Malevich.
According to Malevich, anyting oriented towards application in real life, down-to-earth, having only earthly things in mind, can be classified as "харчевый".
Applied science and technology (техника харчевая) supports and feeds "харчевая жизнь" or this mundane material life.
The word is derived from "харчи", which can be translated as one's share of eats, grub, if you will. Quite a vulgar word, which was much more common in early XX century than it is now.

As to русалка part; to be honest, I have no idea why Malevich used the word "mermaid", no cultural references come to my mind.
The closest I can think of is the Esau's mess of pottage which he sold his birthright for.

Here's the reference that might be helpful (although a bit lengthy)
http://ruslit.traumlibrary.net/book/malevich-ss05-03/malevic...
Selected response from:

Vladimir Alekseev, MCIL
Grading comment
Thank you very much. I fear that, like the proverbial French philosopher, some artists and art historians love to be obscure.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2см. ниже
Vladimir Alekseev, MCIL
4utilitarian/down-to-earth/mundane chimera
rns
3elusive mermaid of 'meat' pleasures
Elena Doroshenko
3elusive mermaid of the grub
Vladyslav Golovaty
Summary of reference entries provided
Elusive nymph of temptation / Secret of Temptation
Turdimurod Rakhmanov

Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
см. ниже


Explanation:
It says that people are wasting their lives chasing elusive material things, this "неуловимая харчевая русалка", a "mess of pottage" of Malevich.
According to Malevich, anyting oriented towards application in real life, down-to-earth, having only earthly things in mind, can be classified as "харчевый".
Applied science and technology (техника харчевая) supports and feeds "харчевая жизнь" or this mundane material life.
The word is derived from "харчи", which can be translated as one's share of eats, grub, if you will. Quite a vulgar word, which was much more common in early XX century than it is now.

As to русалка part; to be honest, I have no idea why Malevich used the word "mermaid", no cultural references come to my mind.
The closest I can think of is the Esau's mess of pottage which he sold his birthright for.

Here's the reference that might be helpful (although a bit lengthy)
http://ruslit.traumlibrary.net/book/malevich-ss05-03/malevic...

Vladimir Alekseev, MCIL
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you very much. I fear that, like the proverbial French philosopher, some artists and art historians love to be obscure.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  The Misha: I would skip the potage thing not to add to the confusion, but otherwise we are thinking along the same lines here.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you very much! Confusion it is indeed...

agree  Olga Sinitsyna: + For the author of World as Nonobjectivity, mermaid might be a universal image of "стремление «любить невозможное»" (maybe this makes sense http://kazimirmalevich.ru/?item=6aa6a843-164d-407b-a38d-9526...
8 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Ольга!
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
elusive mermaid of 'meat' pleasures


Explanation:
This phrase is as so incomprehensible as Malevich' pictures.
I suppose he ironically imaged the essence of seeking material wealth, rough pleasures. "Харчи" is a vulgar word of rude people, stands for "food, meat" (I prefer to translate as "meat" because Malevich also wrote about the "meat past" /"мясное прошлое"/). Русалка (mermaid) is a water spirit from superstitious beliefs of primitive-minded people - no one have ever seen her, she is illusory and elusive (as elusive fish).

Elena Doroshenko
Russian Federation
Works in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  The Misha: The meat thing really got me puzzled. It doesn't work the same way in English. I understand where you are coming from with this, but there is really no need to add another layer of complexity here. It's weird enough as it is.
3 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
elusive mermaid of the grub


Explanation:
To Malevich!


    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5722716/
    Reference: http://www.dnaindia.com/bollywood/report-it-s-a-mermaid-no-i...
Vladyslav Golovaty
Ukraine
Local time: 07:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 12
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5 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
utilitarian/down-to-earth/mundane chimera


Explanation:
chasing a chimera, hunting the Snark, pursuing the Proteus, or even herding cats :) all come to mind... Malevich contrasts the materialistic (exemplified by food) and the artistic with the former being elusive and hardly worth the effort when compared with the latter.

rns
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 30
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Reference comments


3 hrs peer agreement (net): -1
Reference: Elusive nymph of temptation / Secret of Temptation

Reference information:
Malevchich's painting is called "Collecting Flowers (also referred to as Secret of Temptation), https://www.google.com/search?q=Collecting Flowers (also ref...
«Тайну искушения» Малевича https://www.google.com/search?q=Малевич Тайна искушение, неу...

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Note added at 3 hrs (2018-08-18 14:31:07 GMT)
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As I understand it is about temptation, you are tempted by material things around you and the more you chase it the more it will elude you

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Native speaker of: Native in UzbekUzbek, Native in KirghizKirghiz
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
disagree  The Misha: No, precisely for the reasons I spelled out in my comment above.
59 mins
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