Mythological content of works of “Siberian neoarchaic”: on the study of this the artistic direction

Abstract

The interest in mythology within contemporary domestic art is evident through the increasing number of scientific publications in philosophy and art history. This interest is driven by the numerous exhibitions of mythological and archaic art being held in various regions of the country. One of the most notable exhibitions, which has been ongoing for over a decade, is the “Siberian neoarchaic” (or Siberian neo-archaism) art direction. This direction has its roots in the deep history of art, with the first professional pictorial experiments dating back to the mid to late 19th century. The term “Siberian style” was first used in the early 20th century, and after a pause during the period of official socialist realism, there was a resurgence of interest in the mythology of ancient cultures and primitive art of Siberia (specifically Altai and Eastern Siberia). The boundary of the last period of the “Siberian neoarchaic” art direction is typically placed in the final quarter of the 20th century, as this was when artists from both Western and Eastern Siberia came together in a spontaneous creative convergence. This convergence led to exhibitions, round tables, cultural plein airs, and actions of donating artists' works to museums, as well as large publishing experiments that brought together artists, art critics, museum specialists, and private collectors. The creativity of the artists within the “Siberian neoarchaic” direction has become the subject of scientific research, with dissertations being written on philosophical and art history disciplines, and the publication of an album-catalogue and a collection of articles. The authors of this publication aim to describe and summarize both the artistic and research materials related to the topic of “Siberian neoarchaic”. The analysis demonstrates how artists of this direction incorporated mythological thinking and utilized mythological symbols in their artwork.