Abstract: This article examines the preservation mechanisms of multiple monuments of the Great Patriotic War in post-Soviet Armenia and the processes of reconsideration of their symbolic meaning for the commemorative practices of recent years. Shortly after the acquisition of sovereignty, Armenia has begun the process of reconsideration of the Soviet crucial events, which led to the fight against the Soviet monuments. Monuments of the Great Patriotic War are the only ones out of the Soviet monuments in Armenia that continue to be interpreted in the previous context. However, multiple monuments of the Great Patriotic War not only have lost their former role in the symbolic landscape of post-Soviet Armenia, but also completely neglected. Throughout the post-Soviet years, multiple monuments to the victims of Nagorno-Karabakh War and Spitak earthquake were erected on the territories of the monuments of Great Patriotic War, forming the pantheons. Based on examination of the monuments erected during the Soviet period dedicated to the victims and heroes of Patriotic War, its is underlined that these monuments and their territories were transformed not only on the physical, but also the symbolic level. Using the methods of observation and interview, the author clarifies the specificity of perception of the aforementioned symbols by the residents of post-Soviet Armenia in celebration of the Victory Day. Over twenty years, May 9 alongside the Victory Day celebrates the Liberation of Shushi and Day of Establishment of the Defense Army; thus, the reminiscence of the Great Patriotic War has gained the national content and lost its former dominant symbolic meaning in public memory. On the other hand, due to the emergence of new pantheons, have activated the subjects of commemorative practices of the recent years.

Keywords: commemorative practices, graveyard, pantheon, Artsakh War, Great Patriotic War, monument, memorial, war memorial, Victory Day, cityscape

Abstract: The object of this research is the representatives of the Russian musical art – military wind orchestras. The goal is the examination of the problem of establishment of the military-formation repertoire of Russian military orchestra during the war and postwar periods of USSR (1945-1985) in historical-cultural context. Relevance of the article consists in revelation of common peculiarities and principles of the repertoire selection, as well as its future transformations and development. The author gives evaluation to the role of Soviet composers in evolution of the national march music of the indicated timeframe. Analysis of the problem is conducted through the prism of historical events, quantitative-qualitative characteristics of the compositions of military-formation repertoire. Such analysis is necessary for the more complete understanding of the factors that formed the repertoire of the national military orchestras in the postwar time (1945-1985). Author’s special contribution lies in consideration of the characteristic examples of compositions for the military orchestras that relate to one or another time segment from the artistic and compositional-technical perspectives. In conclusion, the author underlines the broadening of composer work towards expansion and enrichment of the repertoire of military orchestras in postwar time.

Keywords: creative heritage, the evolution of the genre, marching creativity, military band, domestic marches, national music, a massive song, military music, repertoire, soviet composers

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the cultural phenomenon of agonality – competitiveness, which is viewed an essential component of phylogenies, ontogenesis, and culturogenesis. The object of this research is the competitive practices and strategies of China from the ancient time to present. The subject is the specificity of China’s competitive advantage, its role in realization of the cultural succession. The author examines the Chinese legend about the origin of lunar calendar, treatise “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, cultural doctrine of the current leader of PRC Xi Jinping “Chinese Dream”, as well as caricatures of the contemporary Chinese artists. The article also contains the elements of comparative analysis aimed at revealing the common mechanisms of competitiveness in the culture of Ancient Greece, Rome and China. The main method of research is the systemic-analytical approach to culture that allows disclosing the strategies of agonality, which manifested at various levels of culture. A conclusion is made that agonality is a powerful method of development of the world revealing itself not only in terms of fighting for life, but also in theatre, verbal folklore and visual art. The author underlines the ultimate importance of preparing the young generation to competitiveness in the adult world, as even during the leisure time a person recourse to a competition, desiring to prove his supremacy over the others. The results of research can be applied in various fields of culturology for examining the determinant of the Chinese national self-consciousness.

Keywords: cultural studies, cultural identity, culture, folklore, cultural continuity, cultural genesis, agonality, competition, cross-cultural research, tradition

Abstract: The object of this research is the current state of the conceptual design-practices, their form of representation and interdisciplinary correlation. The subject of this research is the practice of critical design as a fundamental vector of the modern conceptual design. The goal of this work consists in determination of the major methodological orientations of the modern conceptual design alongside the principles of anesthetization and formation of the conceptual design-objects, as well as examination of the nature of interrelation between a user and a conceptual design-object in the context of critical design practices. The scientific novelty lies in presentation of the modern perspectives of foreign theoreticians and practitioners of design that study the question of conceptuality in design within the framework of intellectual practice, focused on generation and improvement of the contentious ideas. Among the main conclusions are: the determined method of critical design based on the principle of “post-optimality” and “para-functionality”; key practices of critical design – design fiction, speculative design, design of critical embodiment, as well as the contexts of their implementation; ambiguous character of critical design-object aimed at generation of discussions and thoughts.

Keywords: Abstract Thinking, Criticism, Design Fiction, Conceptual Design, Speculative Design, Critical Design, Method, Discussion, Science, Technology

Abstract: This article underlines that the personality development is affected by the sociocultural and natural factors. The object of this research is the human corporeality that combines his biological body and sociocultural traits, which define worldview and personal behavior. Corporeality manifests as a factor of the formation of perceptions on the paramount characteristics and functions of a human as gender representative, which establish in social memory and gender mentality. Particular attention is given to corporeality of a human from the perspective of its gender aspect. Methodological foundation contains the works of the representatives of so-called corporeal approach that promote the unity of corporeality and human consciousness. The scientific novelty lies in examination of female corporeality as a source of feminine mentality and manifestation of the subjective wholeness of a woman. Corporeality acts as a natural foundation of the establishment of women’s perception of themselves and surrounding reality. Female corporeality is defined by multiple stereotypes, which form an image of a woman primarily from the standpoint of a patriarchal system of values. In the conditions of modern society, takes place a gradual decline in the patriarchal stereotypes, and thus the formation of a more objective women’s self-perception.

Keywords: stereotypes, values, androcentrism, patriarchy, gender mentality, femininity, masculinity, gender, corporeality, motherhood

Abstract: In light of the current attempts to reconstruct the apartments of the Emperor Nicholas II in the Russian palaces with subsequent museumification, it seems relevant to refer to the historical-domestic exposition that existed in the rooms of imperial family in the Winter Palace during the period of 1922-1926 that is the object of research in this article. The subject of study is the factors of cultural, social, and political nature that affected the opening of the museum and its activity in the Winter Palace alongside the State Hermitage Museum and the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (former Museum of Revolution), as well as subsequent hasty closing of this exposition. Examination of the newly discovered archival materials and their comparison with the memoirs on the topic allowed to more carefully reconsider the specificity of functionality of the “Historical rooms” in Winter Palace, as well as determine the peculiarities of this exposition in the context of evolution of the museology in the 1920’s. As demonstrated in the documents, opening of the museum “The Historical Rooms of Alexander II and Nicholas II” has become possible due to the important factors of political, social, cultural and administrative character, and can be viewed as an agitation project of the Soviet government. In the course of this research, the author determined the causes of the opening of this exposition, describes the administrative issues, peculiarities of the work of museum guides, as well as the factors that led to the closing of the museum in Winter Palace.

Keywords: Sivkov, Troinitskiy, Nicholas II, museumification, State Hermitage museum, State museum of the Revolution, Winter Palace, Shulgin, everyday culture museum, Imperial residence