Symbolic Art Research Articles

Європейські коди сучасного українського символізму

The article analyzes the specifics of contemporary Ukrainian symbolism in visual art in the context of a relationship with the European tradition. By drawing parallels between contemporary works by Ukrainian authors and symbolic images created in different historical periods of European culture from ancient times to nowadays, their deep kinship in their motives and meanings is demonstrated. This indicates that modern Ukrainian symbolism, on the one hand, is organically included in the European tradition, and on the other hand, contains unique, authentic features inherent in Ukrainian culture. Numerous works by contemporary Ukrainian authors, close to the idea of creating images, far from the principles of realism, images. It always hides multilayered, undiscovered meanings, testifies to the significant relevance of symbolism in contemporary art. At this stage of development, it demonstrates a crisis of form and radical conceptuality, in contrast to which artists are beginning to develop an interest in deeper, meaningful and multi-vector artistic images. It is noted that human is immersed in the world of symbols from birth, and it is this ability to symbolize even in primitive times begins to distinguish it from the animal world, because only human consciousness can create a symbolic space of culture. Art is also born in the bosom of symbolism because even the first rock paintings contain symbolic and mythological meanings. After all, man can see in the image of a tree, not just a plant that is a source of food or shelter, but a symbol of the universe, which combines three levels of the universe: underground, earthly and celestial. Symbolism is a much broader phenomenon than just an artistic direction, because the desire to generate symbolic images in art was present in all periods of human development, retreating to the periphery in times of powerful rationalization of culture and returning to the forefront of appealing to transcendent, irrational, unconscious of our existence. Only by conducting a thorough analysis of this phenomenon from the birth of art in primitive times, going through all stages of development of European culture, we can fully understand the origins, specifics and relationship of modern Ukrainian symbolism with European tradition, as well as its authenticity and originality. It distinguishes the phenomenon from all that has already been created in the space of visual art.

HOLOCAUST REPRESENTATIONS IN PAINTING BY FELIX NUSSBAUM

The article is devoted to the analysis of Holocaust representations in Felix Nussbaum’s paintings according to historical-philosophical, visual-anthropological, semiotic analysis. Topic of the article is justified by insufficient study of Holocaust images in painting, including the way of representation the memory of the Jewish genocide in painting, experience of deportation to death camps, Holocaust traumas. The relevance of the article is due to insufficient study of the work of the German artist of Jewish origin Felix Nussbaum, who was a victim of Holocaust. Nussbaum as an artist represents an artistic movement «New Objectivity» which was focused on reflecting real essence of things; the artist was also influenced by modernist movements as well as the anti-Nazi one. Nussbaum is a victim of Holocaust who was forced to flee from Germany with his family, constantly go into hiding, and in the end he perished in the concentration camp Auschwitz. Significant period of Nussbaum’s legacy is dedicated to the reflection of horrors in the camp Saint-Cyprien (an internment camp), where he was sent. The author considers the concepts of cultural memory in foreign historiography, concepts of the existentialism philosophy, through the prism of which he analyzes the practices of Jewish genocide (Jewish isolation, destiny of refugees, etc.) and what images panting used for its representation. The article investigates, how events of Holocaust affected the formation of artist`s subjectivity, his artistic manner, symbols and artistic means which he uses in his works. In the perspective of visual-anthropological analysis author highlights problematic topics and typology of images, which were reflected in the paintings of Felix Nussbaum, namely: traumatic experience of emigration for survival, experience of deportation and life in the camp, feelings of fear and approaching of death, family theme and personal experiences of the Holocaust. The author highlights autobiographical, historical-philosophical, artistic aspects of Felix Nussbaum`s paintings. The article considers what artistic means Nussbaum used to oppose the policy of Jewish genocide through painting. Based on Felix Nussbaum’s work, the author analyses how the artist depicts «traumatic places» (based on Aleida Assmann), and how he expresses his traumatic experience in artistic images.

Simbolizami imaginacija srednjevekovlja - Dama i jednorog u slikarstvu Gistava Moroa

The French Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau often used the motifs of fantastic beings and animals in his works, amongst which the unicorn found its place. Moreau got the inspiration for the unicorn motif after a visit to the Cluny Museum in Paris, in which six medieval tapestries with the name "The Lady and the Unicorn" were exhibited. Relying on the French Middle Age heritage, Moreau has interpreted the medieval legend of the hunt for this fantastic beast (with the aid of a virgin) in a new way, close to the art of Symbolism and the ideas of the cultural and intellectual climate of Paris at the end of the 19th century. In the Moreau's paintings "The Unicorn" and "The Unicorns", beautiful young nude girls are portrayed in the company of one or multiple unicorns. Similarly to the lady on the medieval tapestry, they too gently caress the animal, showing a close and sensual relationship between them. Although they were rid of their clothes, the artist donned lavish capes, crowns and jewellery on them, alluding to their privileged social status. Their beauty, nudity and closeness with the unicorns ties them to the theme of the femme fatal, which was often depicted in the Symbolist art forms. Showing the fairer sex as beings closer to the material, instinctual and irrational, Moreau has equated women and animals, as is the case with these paintings. Another important theme of the Symbolic art forms which can be seen on the aforementioned paintings is nature, wild and untouched. The landscape in the paintings shows a harmony between the unrestrained nature and the heroes of the painting, freed from strict moral laws of the civil society, or civilization in general. Putting the ladies and the unicorns in an ideal forest landscape, Moreau paints an intimate vision of an imaginary golden age, in this case the Middle Age, through a harmonic relationship of unicorns, women and nature. In that manner, Moreau's unicorns tell a fairy tale of a modern European man at the end of the 19th century: a fairy tale of harmony, sensuality and beauty, hidden in the realms of imagination and dreams.

Поетика «мучеництва святого Себастьяна»К. Дебюссі в річищі містеріальних шукань символізму

Research objective is to identify the poetic-intonational and spiritual-semantic uniqueness of the “Martyrdom of St. Sebastian” by C. Debussy in line with the mystery searches of the art of symbolism. The methodology of the work is comprehensive and based on the combination of musicology, art history, cultural and historical and interdisciplinary research. The scientific novelty of the study is determined by its analytical perspective, focused on the correlation of the poetics of the “Martyrdom of St. Sebastian” with the spiritual and aesthetic attitudes of symbolism and French culture at the turn of the XIX–XX centuries. Conclusions. The turn of the XIX–XX centuries in French culture is characterized by obvious searches for the spiritual essence of being, carried out on the basis of a variety of spiritual, philosophical and style systems. Among the latter, a significant place belongs to symbolism, indicative of which is a tendency to exquisite metaphorism, suggestiveness, mysticism and musicality, which are also related to religious perception of the world. One of the striking examples of the implementation of symbolist poetics in music is the mystery “Martyrdom of St. Sebastian”, created on the basis of a creative union between C. Debussy and G. d’Annunzio. The mysterious-symbolist design of this performance appeals to the symbiosis of biblical sources, Christian hagiography (the life of St. Sebastian), ancient mythology (appeal to the images of Apollo, Adonis, the virgin Erigona), which determines the multigenre nature of the work, in which melodic dance is organically synthesized, melody stage performance and instrumental episodes, corrected by the designs of L. Bakst’s sets and costumes, the original choreography of M. Fokin, the organizational genius of S. Diaghilev, and theatrical talent I. Rubinstein (starring). The organics of their unity is supplemented by the intonational language of the mystery, gravitating to the Gregorian monody and the early forms of polyphony, heterophony. The leading motive-symbol is quinton intonation, revealing the involvement of the work of C. Debussy to the deep foundations of the European spiritual and musical tradition and its implementation within the framework of symbolist poetics of the early twentieth century.

Католические тенденции в эстетике французского символизма. Поль Клодель

В статье реконструируется эстетика П. Клоделя. Раскрывается ряд ориги­нальных идей, которые он внес в эстетическую линию современного католи­цизма, связанных с художественной символизацией, теургической ролью ис­кусства, космизмом творчества. Выявлен смысл различения Клоделем субъективного и объективного, первичного символизма, открывающего в ис­кусстве космическое видение Универсума. Проанализированы ключевые по­нятия его эстетики – искусство, символ, соответствия, художественный син­тез, эстетическое созерцание и наслаждение. Показана оригинальность его трактовки соотношения метафоры, художественного образа и символа. Изу­чена концепция художественного творчества с акцентом на вдохновении, воображении, интуиции в противовес рациональному началу. Прослежено понимание Клоделем соотношения явления и сущности, видимого и невиди­мого в искусстве, сосредоточенное на таинственном, загадочном, иллюзор­ном, передаваемым путем аллюзий. Рассмотрена его концепция динамич­ного и статичного символизма. Показана специфика философии искусства Клоделя, символическая трактовка им живописи, музыки, поэзии. Не только эстетика, но и творчество Клоделя как поэта и драматурга проникнуто ду­хом символизма.

ON METHODOLOGY OF PSYCHOANALYSIS OF THE “LIVING DEAD” IMAGE IN THE IDEOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN HORROR FILM

The article analyzes the reasons for the popularity of the plot with the “living dead” in the American horror film. It is established that this theme is borrowed by Hollywood from ethnic mythologies and reproduces the ideas of traditional early agricultural society. That actualizes the analogy of the living dead with savages who did not know the culture of specially prepared food. The trophic theme develops in the way they eat human flesh, which is never eaten to the end. On the contrary, the horror film visualizes a model of oral satisfaction from eating living people by the dead, which indicates the symbolic nature of their trophic relationships. On the other hand, it introduces powerful layers of archetypal meanings into the artistic context of mass culture. The spread of infernal heroes fixes a sharp contradiction in the dialectic of generations, which is always ignored by contemporaries. The emergence of the artistic symbols of the «living dead» acts as imaginative compensation for the destroyed continuity of generations and an extreme motivator for the ideological reconstruction of the general social and cultural tradition.

ANALISIS MAKNA TATO SEBAGAI MEDIA EKSPRESI DIRI

The rise of the use of tattoos at this time is proof that the elements of cultural order and people’spattern of thought have changed especially in Bengkulu city. Tattoos ware once a sign of crime, but nows tattoos have become commonplace and even today tattoos have become a medium of art of self-expression that carries meanings of one's life journey. This study aims to determine self-expression and the meaning of tattoos as a medium of selfexpression in the tattoo userscommunity users in Bengkulu city. This research uses Charles Sanders Peirce theory and method of data analysis techniques (triangel meaning) which consists of signs, object (object), interpreters (interpretant). To convince the results of the analysis in this study, the authors chose several informants consisting of 5 informan namely 3 men and 2 women with different forms of tattoos. The results of this study prove that tattoos are symbolic art that can be a medium for someone to express themselves disappointed selfexpression, love, self-identity and others. Referring to the sign consists of qualisign that we can see in the tattoo of a rose-headed skull, the sinsignnamely tattoo scissors and a sewing machine and legisianis skull-headed pineapple tattoo. The second is an object consists of an icon that is the faces tattoo of the queens such as Queen DwiSiren, Queen Isabella I, then index the arrow tattoos and the tattoos of the faces of the two boys. Symbol is the queen’s face figure tattoo and Doraemon and Tinkerbell cartoon characters. The third interpretant consists of rhemes, namely rose tattoos and then signedare tattoo scissors and sewing machines and the last argument is all the reasons why the informant made the tattoo. Tattoos on a person's body have meanings such as meaning of the expressions of love for two boys, a birthday presents for the wife, a form of affection for the mother, disappointed the be born in the midst of a broken home family, hope of having a life like a queen and others. 
 Keywords: tattoos, self-expression media, semiotic

A LEOPARD OR A PANTHER? The Pairs of the Stag and the Predator in Vittore Carpaccio's Meditation on the Passion

The current paper will suggest an interpretation of two pairs of animals featured in Vittore Carpaccio's Meditation on the Passion, i.e., a stag and a predator of the Felidae family, which in one case devours the stag, and in the other – follows it. The paper will attempt to answer the question why did Carpaccio choose to paint the same motif twice, and why in two differing variations?
 
 The aim of this paper is to contribute to the research of the iconography of Job, and to the research on animal symbolism in art, and particularly the ongoing effort to decipher Carpaccio's Meditation on the Passion. Its specific and unique contribution will be to suggest a new interpretation to the peaceful predator, presented on right-hand side in Carpaccio's Meditation, seeing it in a new light – not as a wild animal tamed by a religious transformation, as suggested in previous literature, but rather as an inherently positive one. This reading will be informed by primary sources, which will be connected here with the stag and their predators in Carpaccio's Meditation for the first time.

Категория времени и концепция идеальной резиденции монарха в архитектуре Большого Ливадийского дворца

The paper describes the findings of some new historical and architectural surveys of the great Livadia Palace in H2 of the 19th — early 20th centuries. Belonging to the Russian monarchs — from Alexander II to Nicholas II — the building is a monument of architecture and the landmark of the palace and park ensemble in the Crimea. For the first time, the equal focus was given to the original and the new palace that replaced it and was built according to the designs of architects I.A. Monighetti (1866) and M.P. Krasnov (1911), a graphical comparative analysis of layouts was carried out. The author has used the newly discovered archival materials and graphic sources, which indicate the replacement of one palace by another and allow raising the question of similarity lines and fundamental differences between the architecture of the old and the new buildings, due to the content of the order and the unbiased historical course of time. The author dwells upon the interaction of the new art of symbolism in the early 20th century with the architectural texts of the past. She hypothesizes about the search for the artistic equivalent of existential perception of time in the architecture.

Artesanías de Tigua en centro del mundo

En el aspecto geográfico, demográfico, social, económico y cultural a través de entrevistas al Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado Parroquial Rural Zumbahua para conocer el actual del sector, se realizó el Inventario de Técnicas Artesanales mediante fichas del INPC, la información fue recolectada por medio de entrevistas a los Artesanos de la parroquia y Comunidad Tigua, se elaboró la Guía de Técnicas Artesanales mediante la sistematización de los datos, lo cual se hizo referencia los materiales, procesos y técnicas de la actividad artesana. Las pinturas de Tigua son un arte símbolo, reflejo de la cultura de las comunidades indígenas ecuatorianos. La población definida con fines de ingreso y beneficio en aquellos sitios de las diferentes comunidades de Tigua, los pintores se encuentran ubicados en sus talleres - galería. Los resultados apuntan que las pinturas son elementos patrimoniales y turísticos. La fiesta de las culturas andinas” llega a su punto más alto, la Embajada de Ecuador en España y los colaboradores han puesto todo su esfuerzo y cariño, tras los dos años de perseverancia, y superadas todas las dificultades presupuestarias, que se haga realidad. Así, el gran acontecimiento para el museo, un momento de celebración del día 30 de septiembre por las obras de los artistas tiguenses, y nos transmitirán durante más de tres meses las obras de los artistas del tigua, todo un cantón a la vida y a la simbiosis con la naturaleza.

New Media Art Research Focused on Tactile Symbols

The progress and development of scientific technology has resulted in the increased diversification of art. This is especially true in the field of new media art, in which artists are using scientific methods to enrich and ex-pand the content of art. When we interpret such works, we must not only use our vision; we may also need to use our hearing, touch, and other senses to gain an in-depth perception of the information transmitted by the works. During the information transmission process, symbols are a kind of medium that can express unique functions. This article will focus on the sense of touch to examine the tactile symbols in new media art, use individual works as examples to conduct an analysis, and finally propose methods for using art to benefit socie-ty. This study will use a large number of case studies to derive the important influence of tactile symbols on the creation of new media art. In the three aspects of art and touch, art and tactile symbols, and tactile symbols in new media art, the new research media centered on tactile symbols is treated with a deep examination. Finally, we will consider how the relationship between touch and human society and the development of art suggests the use of tactile experiences in new media art.

The Eye of Horus: The Connection Between Art, Medicine, and Mythology in Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Egyptian civilization is one of the oldest cultures in human history. Ancient Egyptians are well-known for pioneering the fields of art, medicine, and the documentation of discoveries as mythological tales. The Egyptians mastered the integration of anatomy and mythology into artistic symbols and figures. The mythology of Isis, Osiris, and Horus is arguably one of the most recognized mythologies in ancient Egypt. The Eye of Horus was used as a sign of prosperity and protection, derived from the myth of Isis and Osiris. This symbol has an astonishing connection between neuroanatomical structure and function. Artistically, the Eye is comprised of six different parts. From the mythological standpoint, each part of the Eye is considered to be an individual symbol. Additionally, parts of the Eye represent terms in the series 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32; when this image is superimposed upon a sagittal image of the human brain, it appears that each part corresponds to the anatomic location of a particular human sensorium. In this manuscript, we highlight the possible scientific speculation of the ingenuity of ancient Egyptians’ remarkable insight into human anatomy and physiology.

صياغات مستحدثة للصندوق الشعبي کمصدر لإثراء المشغولة الفنية Formulations Innovative of the Folk Box as a source to the Enrichment of Handy Crafts

ملخص البحث: تکمن أهمية البحث في:لاستفادة من التراث والفنون التي لم تأخذ قدرا من دراسة الصندوق الشعبي وخاصة في مجال الأشغال الفنية ومن ثم إيجاد مداخل جديدة لتدريس الأشغال الفنية تعتمد على توجيه الرؤية الفنية لربط التراث بالمعاصر. ويحتوي البحث على: أهداف البحث – وأهميته وفروضه وحدوده ومنهجيته التي تتبع المنهج الوصفي التحليلي في إطاره النظري والمنهج التجريبي في إطاره العملي والدراسات المرتبطة. ·أهدافه: يهدف البحث إلى إيجاد صياغات مستحدثة بالصندوق الشعبي في مجال تدريس الأشغال الفنية بما يتلائم مع العصر. ·أهميته: بيان أهمية الموروث الشعبي وإظهار قيمته التشکيلية والرمزية من خلال الصندوق الشعبي. ·فروضه: يمکن الاستفادة من رموز الفن الشعبي وأساليب صياغة الخامات في إستلهام مجموعة مستحدثة من الصناديق برؤية فنية مبتکرة لإثراء مجال الأشغال الفنية. ·حدوده: يقتصر البحث على دراسة وتحليل مختارات من الصناديق في العصور المختلفة وإنتاج صناديق شعبية مستمدة من أشکال الصناديق التراثية موظفة بخامات طبيعية وصناعية. · منهجيته: يتبع المنهج الوصفي التحليلي في إطاره النظري والمنهج التجريبي في إطاره العملي. Summery Of The Research The Importance of the research is concluded:Benefiting heritage and arts, un famous, such as the Folk boy, especially in the field of hard crafts hence finding new approaches to teach handy crafts depending on directing the artistic vision of linking heritage and modern The Research comprises. Importance, aims, propositions, limitations, methodology following the qualitative analytical method in its theoretical frame and experimental method in its practical frame, In addition to relevant studies. Aims: To create new formulations for the folk box in the field of teaching works of art in accordance with the age. Impotance:To demonstrate the importance of the popular heritage and to show its symbolic and symbolic value through the folk box. Propositions: Can be drawn from the symbols of folk art and methods of drafting raw materials in the inspiration of a group of innovative folk box with an innovative artistic vision to enrich the field of works of art. limitations: Research is limited to the study and analysis of collections of boxs in different ages and the production of folk boxs derived from the forms of heritage funds employee natural and industrial raw materials Methodology: this research follows the qualitative analytical method in its practical frame and experimental method in its practical frame. Relevant studies – research terms..

“FOLK CODES” IN THE MUSICAL MATERIAL OF MODERN BALLETS

The purpose of the article is to highlight the folklore codes in the musical material of modern ballets. Methodology is based on the use of benchmarking methods; generalizations for the conceptualization and expansion of the meaning of "folklore codes" in modern ballets. The scientific novelty of the work consists in the actualization of “folklore codes” in E. Stankovic's ballet music and the content of modern ballets R. Poklitaru, M. Schroeder. Conclusions. Based on the analysis of modern ballets, “folklore codes”, which are contained in the title and libretto of the works and musical material, are revealed. In the musical material, composers refer to quotations of folk intonations and their transformations, which are more reminiscent of allusions or reminiscences of folklore material. First, the names of the works suggest recipients to the perception of images, which are revealed by “folklore codes” as information historically established. For authors, the use of folk material becomes the process of identifying additional meanings of known codes. The use of "folklore codes" in the symbolic art of dance includes hidden components of the sign system – movements, costumes, stage design, which helps the viewer to plunge into the world of allusions and fairy tales, revealing the contents of the works.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something Froebel? The development of origami in early childhood education in Japan

ABSTRACTThis study examines how origami has been implemented, practised, and developed in the early childhood education of Japan over the past 140 years. Historically speaking, paper-folding has been part of Japanese symbolic art, craft culture, and religious ceremonial artefacts since paper and paper-folding techniques were first imported from China during the seventh century. By the eighteenth century, paper-folding provided a form of mass entertainment in Japanese society. During the 1870s, paper-folding was dramatically transformed into a pedagogical tool within Japanese kindergartens after Friedrich Froebel’s (1782–1852) kindergarten system and its curriculum was transferred to Japan from the West. “Papier-Falten” (paper-folding) comprised an element of Froebel’s Occupations – which was a series of handiwork activities – in his kindergarten curriculum, whereby various folding techniques and models were derived from European traditional paper-folding and introduced into a Japanese kindergarten curriculum that was associated with the concept of Froebel’s kindergarten. Particularly seen in early childhood education in Japan, what we now call origami developed as a new form of paper-folding. This gradually emerged through the marriage of Western (German) and Eastern (Japanese) paper-folding cultures. The study highlights the benefits and uniqueness of cultural transmission and transformation when developing origami in early childhood education in Japan.

Проблема понимания смыслов в искусстве символизма

В данной статье актуализируется тема понимания смыслов в искусстве символизма. Для разрешения данной проблемы обосновывается тезис о необходимости знания и понимания исследователем смыслов философии иррационализма, выступающей мировоззренческой основой искусства символизма, с целью прочтения его «скрытых» смыслов, учитывая при этом специфику художественного метода символизации, где символ понимается как функция. Именно такое понимание существа символа заключает в себе возможность не формального, но логически обоснованного подхода к его изучению в искусстве. В качестве основного методоло- гического инструментария, применительно к творчеству М. Чюрлениса, в статье используется герменевтическая логика.

Aesthetics in Indian Art: Progress in the 21st Century

The word “aesthetics” belongs to the field of the science and philosophy of fine art. Fine art has the capacity to present the “Absolute” in sensuous garb and aesthetic relation. Indian aesthetics is primarily concerned with three arts—poetry, music, and architecture—however, sculpture and painting are also studied under aesthetic theories. Poetry is the highest form of literature. Indian art is the art of sign and symbols. This can be seen in the art practice of the eleven participating artists in “From the Tree to the Seed.” The “adequacy” and “inadequacy” of symbols are directly related to their “truth” and “frailty.” This adequacy or inadequacy of the symbol is determined by the degree to which it symbolises its referent symbol of art, because by being its likeness its “truth” is iconic and becomes the projection of its intended referent. Consequently, it communicates super-sensuous truths or forms. Hence, when symbols of art lack the attribute of likeness, it leads to frailty. Alternatively, these symbols raise poetry to the mount of aesthetic pleasure.

A triptych on Roman Jakobson

Some parts of the intellectual background of Roman Jakobson’s structuralist thinking and of his interest in Byzantium are considered. It is shown that the dialectical method of Jakobson was  influenced by the ideas of P. A. Florensky. Jakobson’s understanding of symbols in art was formed under the impact of G. A. Ostrogorsky’s theory about the philosophical origins of the Byzantine Iconoclasm and Iconophile thought. According to Ostrogorsky, Iconophiles believed that icons demonstrate both a resemblance to the Prototype and a difference from him. It is claimed that such an approach stimulated the dialectic understanding of art developed by Jakobson, on the one hand, and the structuralist method in general, on the other. However, despite the fact that the work “What is Poetry?” by Jakobson has often been under consideration, no scholar has ever properly studied the parallels between Jakobson’s and Florensky’s views on antinomies. The author discusses a possible influence of N. S. Trubets­koy’s Byzantinism on Jakobson’s understanding of Byzantium and an impact of Jakobson’s and Husserl’s ideas on B. A. Uspensky’s conception of the Russian grammar. Finallly, Jacobson’s note on the medieval Slavic monument showing how the trinity of God can be seen in words and speech is analyzed, and some unknown to the Russian scientist Byzantine parallels to such an interpretation are indicated.

ПРЕЦЕДЕНТНІ ТОПОНІМИ В НЕОФІЦІЙНИХ НАЗВАХ АМЕРИКАНСЬКИХ МІСТ І ШТАТІВ

Nicknames or informal (alternative) names for geographical objects belong to particularly interesting phenomena in the sphere of proper names. The topicality of an in-depth analysis of this group of nicknames is determined by their wide spread in English-speaking countries as well as their important informative function and ethno-cultural value. The aim of the research is to identify and describe the main motivational types of informal names of American cities and states that contain precedent toponyms. Our task is also to determine what geographical names serve as precedent phenomena and classify them into groups. Precedent toponyms used in the nicknames under discussion include geographical names relating to the Old and the New Worlds. They can be both universal cultural symbols (e.g. Athens, Paris, Mecca; New York, Las Vegas) and phenomena that are familiar mostly to native English speakers, particularly Americans (e.g. Birmingham; Saratoga, Lexington and Pittsburgh). Among the precedent toponyms of the first group the component ‘Athens’ predominates: it functions in over ten nicknames in question as a symbol of art, culture and education. The most popular U.S. toponyms used in the informal place names are ‘Chicago’ and ‘Las Vegas’. The nicknames under discussion also contain mythonyms – biblical place names (e.g. Gomorrah, Eden), and lesser-known onyms that are mainly associated with American or British culture. The nicknames for some U.S. cities are based on the names of famous streets, districts and neighbourhoods (e.g. Wall Street, Hollywood). The main conclusion of the research is that the nicknames in question are mostly connected with the history, culture, economy and nationality of the first settlers or current inhabitants of various cities and regions.

Художественный символ как носитель культурной памяти в творчестве современных художников

Художественный символ как носитель культурной памяти в творчестве современных художников