THE CONTINUITY OF UKRAINIAN CULTURE IN CONTEMPORARY ARTISTIC ARTIFACTS

Abstract

The article reveals and substantiates the continuity of culture in the affirmation of the idea of “Ukrainization of cultural space” in contemporary art artifacts, in particular in the activities of the Creative Association «MUR». A detailed analysis of the concepts of “cultural continuity” and “Ukrainization” was carried out to identify artistic means of their representation in contemporary art as a form of Ukrainian public consciousness. Artistic artifacts were identified that reflect and affirm the idea of Ukrainization in the time and space of Ukrainian culture. Ukrainization in contemporary Ukrainian society must maintain a balance between the legislative and legal sphere and personal motivation, where the legislative framework guarantees everyone's right to freely use Ukrainian as their native or official language, participate in the cultural process, and at the same time create a positive image of the Ukrainian language in the “living world” of the Ukrainian state, society, and the individual through various forms and types of culture. It is important to understand the process of Ukrainization not only as political, but also as personal. We believe that the policy of “gentle Ukrainization” (a term that appeared in public discourse in 2019–2021) is an unacceptable compromise with many years of Russification, and therefore must be consistent and guaranteed by law, serve as an example in the personalities of dignitaries and cultural appeal, and become the choice and responsibility of each and every one. Ukrainization as a cultural and historical phenomenon, a process of restoring and affirming the subjectivity of the community, should not be a political tool, but a condition for creating a free, organic living space. It was precisely to achieve this goal that generations of Ukrainian artists rose up in resistance. And in the continuity of culture, “resistance” becomes a prerequisite, transforming into the “affirmation” of the subjectivity of Ukraine and its culture through the efforts of the contemporary young artistic generation, in particular the activities of the Creative Association «MUR» (2022).