Eros and Ukrainain Art Since Independence: Self Affiramations Through Painting and Design

Abstract

The aim of the research is to show that after Independence that Ukrainian artist were rewarded for supporting Western values, not Ukrainian values. Ukrainian artists were left with three different paths, to either commit to the West, with the promise of attention and financial reward, or to support the Soviet idea of Moscow as a cultural capital or the difficult path of building a contemporary Ukrainian identity. The last option is the difficult path that not only has no rewards for the artist themselves but also acts in opposition to both the West and the East. Research methodology. Methods of historical and art-study analysis are used. Scientific novelty. For the first time facts were introduced into scientific circulation about Eros in Ukrainian art in the period of Ukrainian Independence. Conclusions. The Contemporary Ukrainian Identity in the visual arts will be a merging of Western and Eastern concerns transformed through a Ukrainian point of view. Artists will seek both their own validation and self-worth through expressing themselves freely but also search for a community that appreciates their work. The Ukrainian beliefs in Eros, happiness, fun and mutual benefit is in contrast to the imperialistic beliefs of European countries and Russia. For a Ukrainian identity to be truly and honestly formed, it will have to forgo both financial and emotional rewards from foreign countries in order to support its own voice.