ДО П’ЯТИРІЧЧЯ ВІД ДНЯ ЗАСНУВАННЯ КАФЕДРИ ІСТОРІЇ МИСТЕЦТВ

Abstract

In 2020, we celebrate the fifth anniversary since the founding of the Department of Art History of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. In this essay, I highlight the Department’s most important features and achievements. Interdisciplinary and cultural-historical approaches are without doubts the basis for the Department’s teaching and research activities. Interdisciplinarity means involvement of theory and methods of semiotics, structural anthropology, psychology, iconology etc. I shortly describe the curriculum of our Bachelor and Master’s programmes. The former is built around the main stages of Ukrainian and Western art history while the latter is almost entirely dedicated to contemporary art and curatorial practice. Apart from these programmes, we offer a unique possibility to meet specialists from different fields through the series of lectures titled ‘Work in art’. Curators, art managers, museum professionals are invited to share their experience and answer the questions of all lectures’ attendees. Students, too, have the possibility to work in the museums and galleries of Kyiv and to visit annually the most important collections in Italy and Austria. Research and teaching activities have definitely resulted in the creation of a dynamic and stimulating academic milieu at the Department. Moreover, the fact that our alumni fruitfully work in the arts is the best recommendation for the Department’s strategy of development.