Blacksmith Art Festivals in Chernivtsi as a Factor in the Formation of Urban Environment

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to outline the processes of formation and development of blacksmithing festivals in Bukovyna, to analyse the artistic features of forged compositions, their impact on changing the urban environment. The research methodology. During the writing of the article, general scientific and art historical research methods were applied, including: analysis and synthesis, empirical method, method of systematisation and generalisation. Art historical analysis was used to identify artistic and stylistic features of the works. The scientific novelty consists in determining the impact of festivals in Chernivtsi on the development of blacksmith art in the region and the transformation of the cultural space of the city, introducing the names of artists and titles of works into scientific circulation. Conclusions. In the process of researching the topic of blacksmithing festivals in Chernivtsi (2006‒2024), it was established that these events contribute to the emergence of new artistic ideas and, in general, the development of artistic blacksmithing in Bukovyna, as they allow participants to actively communicate, exchange theoretical and practical experience, in particular, through organisation of master classes and exhibitions of creative works, the presentation of achievements of individual authors and workshops. The results of the festivals were the joint creation of sculptural compositions by artists: ‘Circle of Friends’ (2008), ‘Rover’ (2009), ‘UNESCO Sign Dedicated to Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University’ (2011), ‘Janitor’ (2016), ‘Black Sheep’ (2023‒2024) and others, which testify to the high level of skill of blacksmiths of the Bukovyna region and became one of the factors in the formation of the modern school of regional blacksmithing. The style of these works is the embodiment of modern trends in the interpretation of metalwork, which combines the technical methods of traditional blacksmithing and innovative design solutions, and the compositions themselves proved that forged products can be not only functional, but also decorative, meaningful, and plastically expressive. Installed in squares and parks, they became a kind of permanent exhibits, an aesthetic accent of the urban environment of Chernivtsi, accustoming residents to unusually presented visual information.