Genesis of Photography as a Phenomenon of Fine Art: From Artistic Practice to Educational Discipline

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the path of development of photography as a type of fine art from its manifestation as an artistic practice to an educational discipline. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach and the application of a set of methods: historical and cultural – to analyse the stages of development of photography as an art, to identify its evolution from a technical tool to a cultural phenomenon; the theoretical art-historical (morphological) method – used to conceptualise photography as an autonomous art form within the overall system of the arts and to identify its generic, stylistic, and expressive characteristics in comparison with painting, graphic art, and media; comparative and analytical – to compare educational programmes, museum practices and the level of institutional support for photography in Ukraine and abroad; the method of content analysis, which made it possible to study the content of educational programmes, dissertations related to photographic art; system analysis – to identify the connections between photographic art and the cultural and educational environment, to formulate recommendations for creating a methodological base for teaching photographic art in higher education institutions. The scientific novelty lies in a systematic approach to understanding the morphological, theoretical and educational aspects of photographic art as a separate artistic practice, which requires an expanded methodological programme within the specialty 023. A structured model of teaching photographic art in a higher art school of Ukraine is proposed, which is based on the analysis of international experience and takes into account the national cultural context. Special attention is paid to the identification of photography as a separate type of art that combines technical, aesthetic, and conceptual components, its role in the cultural and artistic space and the preservation of Ukrainian visual cultural heritage. Conclusions. Photography, thanks to human inventions and research, has become an important part of its visual culture. It has evolved from a simple reproduction of reality to an independent art form with its own aesthetics, methodology and history of development. The cooperation of artists, researchers and art specialists has contributed to the creation of specialised institutions and the development of a professional photography art market, which includes both traditional exhibition spaces and digital platforms, private collections. Specialised institutions, in particular in the field of preventive conservation, ensure the long-term storage of photographic works for future generations. The system of institutions that currently supports photographic art covers the commercial, museum, scientific, and educational spheres. The modern development of photographic art, including Ukrainian, requires a deeper theoretical understanding and integration into the higher education system. An analysis of dissertations and programs of higher education institutions has shown insufficient attention to photographic art, which hinders the formation of a national photography school, the development of specialised institutions and presentation to the international cultural community. It is proposed to expand the educational programmes in the direction 023 ‘Fine Arts, Decorative Arts, Restoration’ with an emphasis on the history, morphology, preservation and promotion of Ukrainian photography, which will contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage, the development of international cooperation and the integration of Ukrainian photographic art into the world art space.