ART ON THE FRONT LINE : VISUAL CULTURE OF WAR AND THE IMAGE OF VICTORY IN UKRAINIAN ART DISCOURSE 2022-2024

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the transformation of visual culture in Ukraine under the influence of the fullscale russian invasion in the period 2022-2024. The purpose of the study is to analyze the reflection of war in various forms of visual art and trace the process of forming the image of victory in the Ukrainian art discourse. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive approach, which includes: analysis of scientific publications on the theory of visual culture and art history, dedicated to the study of the impact of war on art; content analysis of visual materials presented at exhibitions, in social networks and media, reflecting the Russian-Ukrainian war; analysis of interviews with artists and curators of art projects (partially presented in the text of the article); synthesis and interpretation of the data obtained to identify the main trends and patterns in the formation of the image of victory.
The results of the study demonstrate the significant impact of the war on Ukrainian visual culture, which was manifested in: the intensification of documentary recording of war crimes and humanitarian catastrophe; the use of art as a means of therapy and understanding of traumatic experience; the evolution of the image of victory from heroic resistance to a reflexive understanding of the price of freedom and the need for restoration; the active use of digital technologies and social networks to spread visual culture and cultural resistance; the shift of the thematic focus to issues of national identity, heroism and struggle; the emergence of new iconographic images of heroes and memorial practices (murals). The study revealed that the image of victory is dynamic and includes not only the liberation of territories, but also the mental restoration and affirmation of Ukrainian identity.
The novelty of the study lies in the comprehensive analysis of the visual culture of Ukraine in the conditions of a full-scale war of 2022-2024, the identification of key trends in its development and the features of the formation of the image of victory in this crucial historical period. A generalization and systematization of various visual practices reflecting the war experience of Ukrainian society and its desire for victory has been carried out.
The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using its results for further scientific explorations in the field of visual culture, art history, history and sociology. The materials of the article can be useful for the development of training courses, museum exhibitions and cultural projects aimed at understanding the war experience, preserving the memory of heroes and forming national identity. The results of the study can also be used to analyze the information space and counteract disinformation in conditions of military conflicts.