Landscape Evocation of Natural Features of the Black Sea Steppe

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of forming the individual style of the southern Ukrainian artists within the context of Odessa tradition of landscape painting. By the examples of creative achievements, of educational practice and live communication with the artists the evolutionary changes in the minds of cultural figures, collectors, museums authorities and artists themselves at the turn of the 21st century are traced. The features of southern Ukrainian landscape, the peculiarities of the artistic traditionas a prerequisite for the formation of a creative personality are investigated. The motifs and images of the landscape were identified and researched: city landscape, mythological landscape, plastic motif, and image of the city. The improvisational nature of the creativeprocess is considered. The artistic analysis shows the influence of natural environment, local artistic tradition, literary and folklore sources on the large-scale stylization in contemporary painting. A stylistic analysis of the artistic means of Odessa artists was conducted. The structures that are based on the “power lines” and rhythms of the artistic heritage of the 19th and 20th centuries are analyzed.The interrelation of creativity of modern masters and global artistic heritage isshown. It is concluded that poetic content of the works can be characterized as romanticism, and the form—as polystylism.