Abstract: The object of this research to one-man production “Lear is Here” based on W. Shakespeare's tragedy, “King Lear”. The theatrical director and actor of Beijing Opera Wu Xing Guo (born 1953, Taiwan) bravely edits the Shakespearian text and principles of the National Theatre of China. Since 1980’s, Wu Xing Guo uses the traditional Eastern scenic elements (line of roles, symbolic face painting, acrobatics) and Western European texts, forming a unique theatrical language. The peculiarities of his directing are examined within the Russian theatre studies for the first time. In accordance with the methodology of formal school, the article presents reconstruction of the play and analysis of scenic text from the perspective of Eastern theatre traditions, as well as the modern theatrical context. The author’s special contribution lies in the observation that in the spectacle “Lear is Hear”, Wu Xing Guo conceptually forgoes the narrative composition in order to reveal the playing nature of the theatre: his goal is not to tell the history of Lear or rendition of Shakespearian storyline. Playing ten different characters solely, and fusing in a complex role structure the Eastern and Western theatrical traditions, Wu Xing Guo exposes another storyline of “King Lear”– the pursuance of actor’s identity.

Keywords: King Lear, Performance, Acting, The Tragedy of King Lear, Peking opera, Wu Xing Guo, Shakespeare, Theatre studies, role, reworking

Abstract: The subject of this research is the graphic heritage of the prominent Venetian master of the XVIII century Giovanni Battista Piranesi. The goal consists in examination of the role of Piranesi’s heritage in history of art and architecture. The author demonstrates the key milestones of his creative path, reveals the fundamental conceptual questions and themes of his graphic compositions. The defining influence of the depicted architectural compositions of Piranesi on the formation of one or another architectural object is viewed on the particular historical examples. The main research method consists in drawing parallels and designation of continuity of architectural ideas between the works of Giovanni Battista Piranesi and such architects successors as Joseph Paxton, Antonio Sant'Elia, Tony Garnier, Pietro di Gottardo Gonzaga, Ivan Leonidov, etc. The scientific novelty and practical importance of the article lies in tracing the trajectory of influence of the ideas, themes and architectural-spatial solutions of the great aquafortist upon his contemporaries and all following generations of architects. Particular historical examples demonstrate the defining influence of the depicted architectural compositions of Piranesi on the formation of one or another architectural object, as well as the emergence of famous conceptual architectural projects (including projects-utopias) in historical retrospective until the present time.

Keywords: etching, picture, architectural composition, spatial solution, architectural fantasy, Piranesi, architecture, Graphics, project, architect

Abstract: This article analyzes the concept of state of the military historian Martin van Creveld. This analysis allowed the author to view prerequisites and establishment of the state and denote the concept of state. In the latter he differentiates the concepts of state and social practices that ensure their implementation, organization of management and accepted in culture explanations on the need for such organization, which in the author’s opinion comprises the meaning and content of power. Moreover, the article introduces the term of sociocultural pre-basis of the state that allows denoting the substantiation of the trajectory of development of the state and selection of a particular political form. Research methodology includes situational and comparative analysis, articulation of the problems, structuring of notions, reconstruction of historical evolution of the state, analysis and comprehension of the writings of M. Creveld. The author was able to analyze the proposed by Creveld concept of the state, as well as suggest an original version of establishment and development of the state, outline the characteristics of the concept of state (differentiation of stages of its establishment, concepts of states and social practices that ensure their realization, etc.), as well as raise a number of questions related to the discussed topic.

Keywords: explanation, management, power, reconstruction, genesis, state concept, concept, formation, crisis, concept, conception

Abstract: This article is dedicated to analysis of the phenomenon of pseudo-traditionalism on the example of interpretation of image of a village in the discourses of modern culture. The concepts and processes that cursory are perceived as traditional, but modernistic in their essence, are referred to pseudo-traditional. The authors understand pseudo-traditionalism as a result of stylistic mimicry based on the partial digestion of separate elements of the traditional semiotic system borrowed extra-contextually and uncoupled from other elements, with which they are in a state of structural-systemic relations within the framework of real tradition. The article is carried out in the context of semiotic-hermeneutic approach towards analysis of the phenomena of modern culture. The sources include the literary text of clearly traditional orientation, as well as materials collected in the course of sociological interview. The authors prove that the opposition city – village carries mythological character, equally to demonization of city and idealization of village in pseudo-traditionalistic discourses. The article also analyzes various aspects and modi of the modern mythological image of a village, including religious (eschatological). The author examines the impact of historical and social contexts upon the formation of ancient mythology.

Keywords: provincialism, archaic,, modernism, city, myth, pseudotraditiona, tradition, village, religion, semiotic

Abstract: The subject of this research is the art of Cai Guo-Qiang (born in 1957) – the modern Chinese painter who lives and works in China and the United States (New York). The object of this research is the storyline fireworks of Cai and his innovative technique of “gunpowder painting”. The first works of the painter were canvasses in oil painting, and by 1980’s he invented a new “gunpowder” technique, which was first applied in combination with oil on the canvas, and since 1990’s – with ink on the paper, as a version of modern traditional painting guo-hua. His works evolved from social realism to a distinct variation of modern expressionism, as demonstrated the first in Russia retrospective exhibition of the works of Cai Guo-Qiang that took place in the Phuskin State Museum of Fine Arts (“October”, Moscow, 2017). Authors of the exhibition catalogue justifiably note the “cosmopolitan mission” of his art, but leave out of account the traditional context. The proposed methodology, which integrates art and culturological analysis, allows seeing in the works of this prominent modern painter the version of mass art that retains mental and reverse connection with the Chinese tradition. The scientific novelty of the article is defined by the following conclusions: the art of Cai Guo-Qiang is addressed to the international audience, but concords with the traditional paradigm due to Buddhist mentality deeply rooted in the painter’s consciousness. The traditional aspect is his proclivity for harmonization of social environment. This mass art that possesses formal and substantive novelty is associated with the modern international artistic market, as well as market version of “Chinese style” (Chinoiserie) of the XVIII century.

Keywords: neo-archaic, Chan Buddism, performance, fireworks, Cai Guo-Qiang, gunpowder painting, postmodernism, Chinoiserie, zhongguo-feng, guo-hua

Abstract: Recent decades are characterized by the heightened interest towards the Russian traditional culture. Among the markers of ethnic hue of an art object or a product, special place belongs to the ornament. The article examines the problems of development, transformation and adaptation to modern conditions of the traditional Slavic ornament used in design of packaging. The object of this research is the graphic element placed on the most popular lines of generally accessible food products featured in the chain supermarkets. The choice is substantiated by the general accessibility, mass production of the goods and its wide regional coverage, which ensures maximal interaction with the Russian consumer. It is established that the elements of Slavic ornament are widely used in design of packaging of food products. Preference of manufacturers is given to the elements of Khokhloma and Gzhel painting as most famous and brand-named Russian traditional crafts. The author observes the active search for color, compositional and thematic solutions, which testifies on its inevitable adaptation and transformation of traditional elements, as well as points at their problems in preparation of specialists in the area of design, who at time are not familiar with the semantic-conceptual field of the used ornaments. This leads to the occurrence of associative dissonance in perception of food products and their packaging. Utilization of the traditional ornament in this applied sphere is one of the ways for preservation and development of national culture, which forms an essential associative layer in public consciousness and requires careful application.

Keywords: packaging design, Gzhel, Khokhloma, ornament symbolism, traditional ornament, Slavic ornament, folk crafts, transformation, adaptation, preservation of traditional culture