REINTERPRETATION OF THE TIBETAN VISUAL TRADITION IN OLEXANDER ZHYVOTKOV’S SERIES «TO THE QUESTION OF NEPALI THANKAS»

Abstract

The aim of the article is to identify the features of the artistic embodiment of the concept of Tibet in the series of works by the contemporary Ukrainian artist Olexander Zhyvotkov “On the Question of Nepalese Thangkas”. A significant role in the formation of the above-mentioned concept was played by the impressions of a trip to Nepal, as well as the artist’s acquaintance with traditional Buddhist Thangka icons. In the course of the analysis of research devoted to the work of O. Zhyvotkov, it was revealed that the aesthetic harmony with various forms of non- European art, mainly Far Eastern, Buddhist, distinguishes the artist’s creative practice in different periods of his life. The article examines the works of O. Zhyvotkov’s cycle “On the Question of Nepalese Thangkas” and compares them with samples of Buddhist icons in order to gain a deeper understanding of the degree of interaction between modern and traditional art. The article shows how the boundaries of sacred art are transcended in the works of the contemporary Ukrainian artist. It is highlighted how, despite the fundamentally different context of the emergence of the Thangka and the works of O. Zhivotkov, in the artistic practice of the contemporary artist there is an intuitive approach to the philosophical foundations of Buddhist art. It is revealed that the cycle “On the Question of Nepalese Thangkas” demonstrates a unique rethinking of traditional thangka art in a modern context. The experimental nature of O. Zhivotkov’s work is revealed, including through the use of materials that are unconventional for sacred art. It is revealed that Zhivotkov’s works combine the sacred and the modern. The role of color in creating an artistic image in the works of the series is highlighted. It is shown that O. Zhivotkov’s series “On the Question of Nepalese Thangkas” is a deep cultural study that integrates Eastern aesthetics into modern Western artistic practice in order to recreate the author’s impressions and observations obtained during a trip to Nepal.