Keywords
fine arts of Kalmykia, theatrical and decorative art, Kalmyk folk culture, Vladimir Khantashov, set designer, theater artist, sketches of scenery and costumes,
How to Cite
Sangadzhieva D. V. Kalmyk folk art in the works of set designer Vladimir Khantashov // The Art of Eurasia, 2025. № 4 (39). P. 30–51. URL: https://doi.org/10.46748/ARTEURAS.2025.04.002.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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Abstract
This study examines the artistic legacy of Vladimir Dorzhinovich (Dmitrievich) Khantashov (1932–2001), a renowned set designer who was honoured as an artist in the Kalmyk ASSR and was a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. The research is based on works from the collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Kalmykia and private collections. Despite his significant contributions to the theatre world as a designer and later as a director, Khantashov's work has not been extensively studied and therefore requires further research. He was the first Kalmyk to receive formal artistic training at the Leningrad Institute of Theatre, Music, and Cinematography, and also completed additional training at the Higher Directing Courses at GITIS (RATI).
This article explores the impact of compositional and colouristic elements from Kalmyk folk art on the set design projects of V.D. Khantashov. Drawing on museum and private collections, as well as archival sources, it presents a comprehensive chronology of his creative career, delves into his early life, and highlights his significant contributions to the development of scenography and theatrical decorative art in Kalmykia from the 1960s to the 1990s. Using a systemic historical approach and a comparative artistic and stylistic analysis of his works, this article reveals that V.D. Khantashov's scenography is a fusion of the Russian school of theatrical decorative art, Buddhist iconography, principles of Kalmyk decorative and applied art, and knowledge of Kalmyk oral folklore and the Oirat-Kalmyk script “todo bichig”. In addition to his active involvement in artistic and exhibition activities, Vladimir Khantashov also showcases his interest in national identity through his easel paintings, with a particular focus on folk costume and ornamentation. This article presents previously unpublished sketches of sets and costumes from museum and private collections, making them available to scholars for the first time.
Acknowledgments
The research was carried out with the support of the Art Critics and Art Historians Association.
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