Asar Eppel and Valery Dmitryuk’s The Storm!!! as an example of a polycode two-address text

Abstract

Asar Eppel and Valery Dmitryuk’s book The Storm!!! highlights not only the continuity of the avant-garde in poetry, but also the potential for intermediality between literature, painting, and typography. Drawing on semiotic methods, this article examines the various principles and techniques that ensure the coexistence of verbal and visual texts. The Storm!!! can be defined as a dramatic text in verse, or as a book-as-object and an example of a polycode text incorporating literary, visual, and typographic elements. The study reveals the specific features of the interaction between verbal and visual elements in a children’s book and demonstrates the continuity of avant-garde traditions from the early 20^th century. The author analyzes the structural and graphic organization of the text, including calligraphy, typography, and illustrations, which together create an integral work of art. Particular attention is given to the dramatic nature of the text, presented as a poetic play with seven characters, each with a distinct voice and persona. The article explores how various visual techniques — such as color schemes, text layout, mirror inversions, and calligraphy — work together to create the overall atmosphere and enhance the semantic content of the work. The polycode nature of the book is shown to facilitate a deeper understanding of the poetic text through visual support. The Storm!!! offers the reader a wide range of opportunities, from exploring the traditions of avant-garde Russian and European poetry to learning how to read polycode texts. The book encourages playful interaction, prompting the reader to reflect on the role of letters, words, and illustrations in the context of a verbal–visual unity.