The article defines the content of the phenomenon of “decolonization” in the context of depriving Ukrainian culture of its imperial heritage in the form of falsified cultural narratives as a tool of influence on post-Soviet society. In particular, the authors examine this process from the perspective of forming the concepts of national identity in the younger generation of Ukrainians by studying the creative heritage of individual Ukrainian artists of previous centuries in higher education institutions in order to destroy the chauvinistic myths of Russian ideology.The authors' research interest is focused on the figure of the prominent Ukrainian artist from Mariupol of Greek origin, Archip Ivanovich Kuindzhi, whose work marked the emergence of a qualitatively new perception of the landscape in world painting with an emphasis on its national recognition as a potential tool for awakening the national consciousness of the Ukrainian people, especially in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After all, in the context of the Kremlin's policy of “cultural looting,” the aggressor resorts to the destruction of not only Ukraine's natural and human resources, but also to the further appropriation of its cultural values and prominent figures.The authors emphasize that when studying the artistic heritage of Archip Kuindzhi in the educational environment, it is worth emphasizing the fact of the artist's origin, who considered his ancestors to be Greeks and his native language to be Crimean Tatar. The artist himself should be perceived as a Ukrainian artist – a philanthropist of Greek origin with a Turkish surname – an unusual characteristic for an artist of the mid-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, given the historical realities of the time. The authors of the article emphasize that the vast majority of historians and art historians of our time seek to restore historical justice by making Ukrainian artists famous, after centuries of colonization by Russia and its appropriation of both individual figures and entire areas and industries. It is in this context that the figure of Archip Kuindzhi is an effective tool for the process of decolonization in the context of being deprived of its imperial heritage.The article objectively and comprehensively analyzes the key biographical materials on the formation of Archip Quindzhi's worldview and the process of formation and recognition of his talent at the world level. In particular, the emphasis is placed on his origins and connections with Ukraine throughout his life, philanthropy, and patronage in supporting young talents. The authors conclude that the study of Archip Quindzhi's legacy and personality in higher education institutions in the context of the process of decolonization of Ukrainian artistic heritage should be considered from the perspective of national philanthropy and his popularization of Ukrainian reality with its recognizable national flavor in the artistic plane of the mid-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as a symbol of the unconquered spirit and desire for freedom of more than one generation of Ukrainians. From today's perspective, the practice of studying the phenomenon of decolonization in the educational environment of higher education institutions should be interpreted as counteracting the aggressor's intentions to depriveUkraine of its right to exist, including its cultural heritage, in the context of an integral part of the Kremlin regime's policy as a continuation of Soviet totalitarianism. The only true approach is to recognize the right of every nation to form its own idea of its own galaxy of talents, including the return of appropriated artists.
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Jan 27, 2025
Maciej Dariusz Kossowski 
Open Access
Just Published
