The reflection of Siberian identity in art of the late XX – early XXI centuries

Abstract

The object of this research is the phenomenon of Siberian identity through the analysis of visual art of Siberian authors of the XX and XXI centuries. Siberian identity in the works of artists is substantiated by multiethnic population of Siberia and rich history of the region. The leading trend consisted in the popular in 1980’s – 2000’s “neo-archaic” motifs, i.e. reference to the ancient and traditional ethnic cultures of Siberia through the prism of modern perception. But it was not the first experience of resorting to the theme of Siberian ethnic archaism, since the masters of the late XIX – middle XX centuries also addressed to the artistic motifs of indigenous Siberian ethnoses and ancient culture, but it manifested in fundamentally different forms of aesthetics. The main method applied in this research consists in comparative analysis of the artworks of Siberian masters of visual and decorative art at two stages of its establishment (late XIX – middle XX centuries, and second half of the XX – XXI centuries), which reflected the process of finding Siberian identity. Novelty of the presented material lies in the thesis that the concept of “Siberian identity” is being developed by sociologists, philosophers and culturologists, who interpret it in the context of sociological and culturological constructs. The art review of this problem has not been conducted, despite the fact that the process of finding identity in the modern world is most vividly reflected through the images of visual and decorative-applied art.