On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Alyosha Dmitriev. Remember, learn, love

MOSCOW. An evening in memory of the poet Alyosha Dmitriev, the author of books about Mr. Smokley and English gentlemen, was held at the Russian State Children’s Library.

Twenty-five years spent outside Russia - first in Israel, then in Belgium - did not contribute to the wide popularity of the multifaceted talented writer and artist Alyosha Dmitriev. That is how he preferred to sign his works, even in adulthood. The reason for organizing the evening at the State Children’s Library was the 60th anniversary, which Alexei Dmitriev would have celebrated on January 31, if not for the sudden departure in June last year. After his long-awaited return to his homeland.

Dmitriev did not immediately come to the creation of children’s poems and wonderful paintings. Three years at the acting faculty of “Pike”, studying at the Khutsiev’s workshop at VGIK, a diploma short film, favorably received in France, several works as a director and screenwriter. He continued his work in this capacity also abroad, creating scripts for various Russian television projects. The poetry and prose written by him in those years must certainly leave the online space in which he generously shared his work. The paintings and graphics exhibited at dozens of international exhibitions would become a worthy setting for them.

Even before leaving abroad, the book “Mr. Smokley and the Monocle” with wonderful illustrations, the book “Modest Kuzma” was published in a huge and quickly distributed circulation. Together with his friend Andrei Usachev, Dmitriev published the educational and entertainment newspaper Tram No. WE, the forerunner of the famous Tram magazine in the 90s. A few years before returning to Russia, friends wrote several textbooks for children on the history of the ancient world. After a long break, one after another, new books began to be published - "About Cats and Mice" and "English Gentlemen." The talented person who left on takeoff left a great legacy: poems, prose, paintings that deserve to be met with those for whom they will become an opening and spiritual necessity.

Recently, Alyosha Dmitriev wrote mainly for adults. But some readers remember his children’s poems - real poetry: kind and instructive, easy and memorable. Today, the poems of Alexei Dmitriev began to be published slowly thanks to the active participation of Andrei Usachev. In 2013, a book of his poems was published, and even in co-authorship with Andrei two funny textbooks were written…

In the early 90’s, he published two small books of children’s poems: “Modest Kuzma” and “Mr. Smokley and the Monocle”. Now Alexey Dmitriev lives in Belgium. This is the first book in Russia in 20 years. Open it on any poem - and you will get great pleasure… "

Such an afterword to the book “About Cats and Mice,” published by Clever, I wrote four years ago.

But times are changing rapidly. In 2013, Oktopus Publishing House released yet another book by Alyosha - English Gentlemen.

At home, in Russia, Alyosha Dmitriev is primarily known as a wonderful children’s poet. More than one generation of young Russians has been read out with his books Modest Kuzma and Mr. Smoky and the Monocle. These publications were released at the turn of the 1980s and 90s of the last century.

The author’s new books were published in 2013, 2014 and 2015, these are collections of children’s poems “About Cats and Mice” and “English Gentlemen”. In collaboration with his friend, poet and writer Andrei Usachev, he wrote two fun textbooks for the entertaining educational series “History Lessons”: “Primal History” and “This Ancient, Ancient World”. The first of them has already come out with a changed name - “How to catch a mammoth. A funny story. Lesson 1".

In ordinary life, Alyosha Dmitriev was his beloved son, “He did not print much, but the poem book for children,“ Mr. Smokley and the Monocle ”(with author’s illustrations!) Came out in a fantastic circulation of half a million copies and was a notable event in children’s literature in the early 90s,” he says.

Here is what his friend Andrei Usachev wrote about Alexei Dmitriev in April of this year:

“Alyosha Dmitriev - poet, artist, director. Despite the large number of wonderful poems for children, the author in Russia is almost unknown. For the reason that I left the country long ago. In the early 90’s, he published two small books of children’s poems: “Modest Kuzma” and “Mr. Smokley and the Monocle”. Now Alexey Dmitriev lives in Belgium. This is the first book in Russia in 20 years. Open it on any poem - and you will get great pleasure… ”

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru