Sobornist as a world-View Concept in the Creativity of Ukrainian Artists of the 19th – Early 21st Centuries

Abstract

The purpose of the work is to identify and analyse the specifics of the functioning of the worldview concept of unity in the work of Ukrainian artists of the 19th – early 21st centuries, to determine the forms of its artistic representation, in particular in the context of project and exhibition activities, as the basis for the formation and transmission of an integrative national discourse. To identify the circle of artists whose worldview and creative orientations are determined by the need to actualise the idea of national unity as a value in Ukrainian culture and art. The research methodology is based on the historical and cultural method, which allowed the author to trace the development of artistic practices in a specific period and cultural context. The sociological method contributed to the manifestation of the social function of works, ideological messages. Iconographic and iconological methods provided an understanding of the symbolic language of works and the disclosure of ideas, conceptual structures in the composition, images, plots, their connection with the culture and mentality of the time. Hermeneutic method helped to comprehend the ambiguity of works; discourse analysis, allowed the author to take into account the political and institutional aspects of the formation of artistic narratives, in particular in exhibition practices. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the fact that the theme of sobornist as a worldview concept in the work of Ukrainian artists of the 19th – early 21st centuries has not yet been the subject of a comprehensive study. Thus, for the first time, the concept of sobornist, which structurally organises artistic consciousness and creative reflection, has been systematically considered, and the artistic mechanisms of its representation, including symbolic, compositional and thematic means, have been identified and clarified. Conclusions. The dramatic pages of the history of the Ukrainian people, significant events and stages of state formation, the activities of prominent figures, and cultural traditions embodied in art form the visual code of the sobornist of the Ukrainian nation. The concept of sobornist means, first of all, cultural and spiritual unity that unites generations mentally, culturally, and territorially. During the struggle, in particular the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine, sobornist becomes extremely relevant as a concept of national resistance and a symbol of collective identity. Art plays an important role in this, because its potential is significant for the unity and stability of the nation.