Russian formalism is often considered pioneer in its scientific approach to problematic intrinsic to literature. In proposing literary studies as an autonomous field of research that aims for literature itself

rather than a subordinate of other subjects and purposes

the Russian formalists had established a new discipline

or guiding principle for literary studies. Contrary to such a stance generally held by academic mainstream

the present study situates the Russian formalists in a different position. Actually

there had been substantial exchange

historically

between Russian formalists’ primary concerns of "literariness / literality

" and the newly arisen cultural logic of cinematic images in early 20th century as well as the visual experiments of Cub-futurism. This paper reconsiders such historical converges and exchanges by ways of textual analysis

and in revisiting a great number of historical documents hitherto overlooked. In doing so

I attempt to offer a re-reading of Russian formalist theory by contextualizing its place in Soviet-Russian leftist avant-garde art movement

specifically that of Cub-futurism and Constructivism. Contextualization effort such as this should point out the close historical ties existed between the Russian formalists’ quest for a paradigm shift in the domain of literary studies on one hand

and on the other the creative experimentations undertook by Soviet-Russian leftist avant-garde artists in various fields of visual arts

such as painting and film making. Lastly

my study aims to elucidate

albeit tentatively

the unique visual experience

or "visuality" inherent in Russian formalist literary theories. Following this

the paper concludes with a discussion of the cultural-political significance that underlies leftist avant-garde art theories and practices in Soviet Russia.