Abstract: This article examines the artworks of Zhang Xiaogang as a prominent representative of the modern Chinese painting, peculiarities of his mastery formed in different periods of his creative path under the dual influence of Chinese and Western painting. Transformation and evolution of painting concepts and formal artistic means, claimed in the painter’s “Bloodline-Big Family” series, demonstrate how the “own historical memory” forms new expressive forms of painting. The author compares the interaction of forms and languages in the Western and Chinese painting, as well as analyzes characteristics of the structure of brush strokes of the painter in different periods for showing the formation of the inner spiritual essence. It proves that the clash of concepts of the Western and Chinese painting generated new artistic phenomena, which represent a result of assimilation of painting concepts and “localization” of formal language. The mutual influence of two cultures lead to origination of multiple ideas of plasticity and artistic forms. China has entered the period of “non-modernism”.

Keywords: visual symbol, photography, political pop art, conceptual art, western modernist painting, classical western european painting, traditional chinese painting, contemporary art of China, cynical realism, Zhang Xiaogang

Abstract: The relevance of the chosen topic is substantiated by insufficient study of this problematic within Russian musical culture of the late XX century in the Russian-language scientific literature. The object of this research is the artistic space and time of a musical composition. The author examines meaning of the categories of space and time and their existing philosophical concepts. The subject of this research is music of the Russian composers of the second half of the XX century. The work leans on the analytical method and carries a systemic cross-disciplinary character. The scientific novelty consists in suggesting of M. Bakhtin’s theory as a methodological framework for space and time analysis in a musical composition of that period that was further advanced by the art historical V. Chaikovskaya. As a conclusion, the author systematizes and generalizes the key ideas pertaining to the historical-social context of the indicated period, as well as harmoniousness of the art concept of V. Chaikovskaya to the musical texts of compositions, which reveals its peculiar polychronotopic space and time structure.

Keywords: methodology, analysis, time, space, XX century, musical work, chronotope, model, polychronotopic structure, content

Abstract: The subject of this research is the traditional fur costume of the Mordvins. The authors examine the problem of formation of the semantics of fur as a material useful for survival and adaptation of a person in space. The goal of this work consists in determination of the factors substantiating semantic meanings of the transformation processes of natural material into a cultural object characteristic for many peoples of the Middle Volga  and Transural regions. The authors summarized the written sources. Including the archive of Russian Geographical Society, analysis of ethnographic collections of museums of the Republic of Mordovia, and results of the field research. The application of general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, classification), comparative-historical approach, and comprehensive culturological approach allowed detecting the peculiarities of Mordvins’ perception of fur items, their implementation into the sphere of spiritual culture, and attribution as a symbol. The scientific novelty consists in the culturological approach towards understanding of the semantic of fur garments and accessories in the everyday culture and family ceremonies of the Mordvins. Substantiation is made on the special significance of fur in the material culture of the Erzya and Moksha peoples: fulfilling a utilitarian function and having become the second, artificial skin of a human, fur adequately protected from unfavorable effects of the environment. It is established that in Erzya language there are still remain similarities between the concepts of fur coat (fur item, animal skin) and clothes.

Keywords: transformative activity, communication, fur elements of a costume, clothes, Mordvinians, traditional culture, semantics, function, values, life preservation

Abstract: This article examines the questions pertaining to economic activity of the Yakuts in the conditions of climate change and “deficit of cold temperatures. Such aspects of agricultural activity as horse breeding, animal husbandry, hunting, and horticulture. An attempt is made to assess the scale of influence of changing climate upon the traditional life and industries of horse breeders, animal farmers, and hunters of the rural areas of Sakha Republic (Yakutia), as well as examine which difficulties they face and how they respond to the challenges of modernity. The acquired field materials are collected through the methods of overt observation, in-depth interview, audio, photo and video records. The attention is focused on the rural population who show concern over the situation of their households under such fast-paced circumstances: they do not know what to expect from nature next year, and many of them are not capable of handling the emerged problems. The main conclusions consist in revelation of certain problems in the life of rural population in the territories of Sakha Republic that emerge due to the climatic changes.

Keywords: Cattle breeding, Horse breeding, Transformation, Climatic changes, Traditional culture, Agriculture, The cold, Hunting, Crop production, Yakuts

Abstract: The subject of this research is the fundamental positions and concepts of installation discourse, i.e. key texts that are dedicated to installation and formed representation on this artistic practice. Installation discourse has emerged in the West in the early 1960’s, and presently there can be determined the “anchor points, “objective concepts”, main positions and vectors of installation analysis. Elements of the discourse include academic monographs, such as art criticism, texts of artists, and exhibition catalogues. The article employs the methods of discourse analysis of E. Laclau, C. Mouffe, N. Fairclough, as well as general discourse theory of M. Foucault described in the “Archeology of Knowledge”. The conducted discourse analysis allows making the following conclusions. The three main vectors of installation discourse can be associated with three “turns” of philosophy and humanistic thought of the XX century – phenomenological, linguistic and performative. Discourse analysis allows tracing the meanings imposed on the “anchor points” in various vectors of the discourse. Discourse analysis gives a perspective on the “objective concepts” of discourse that underlie the understanding of installation at the present stage – “theatricality”, “indermediality”, “unlocked”, anti-object character of installation, site-specificity; institutional criticism, multisensority and ephemerality.

Keywords: Brian ODoherty, Michael Fried, performative turn, linguistic turn, phenomenological turn, discourse, installation, Germano Celant, Claire Bishop, Juliane Rebentisch

Abstract: This article describes the form of successful cooperation of the BRICS countries in the sphere of humanities. The subject of this research is the International Festival of Theater Schools of the BRICS countries, which is viewed as a festivity of creative youth that represents different cultures and performing arts of their country. The goal consists in characterization of the festival, which opens a unique opportunity for communication of youth from the BRICS countries, exchange theatrical traditions and experience, acquire new friends, and demonstrate their acting skills. The scientific novelty lies in the systematized material pertaining to the specificity of organization and hosting the International Festival of Theater Schools of the BRICS countries. It is proven that the international educational program in performing arts within the framework of the festival is the realization of artistic investments into the cultural life of the Russian Federation. The author’s special contribution consists in clarification of the fact that for the past ten years the BRICS countries have achieved great results in the area of culture and art. Among all types of cooperation, the exchange in education and culture play the key role as the bridge in the sphere of humanities between the countries. The International Festival of Theater Schools of the BRICS became the source of development of the worldview of youth from different countries; broadened the horizon of the contemporary forms of culture and art; as well as emphasized the defining role of the techniques of teaching acting through the prism of Stanislavsky’s method that transforms through the culture of ethnoses represented on the festival.

Keywords: stage producer, culture, stage play, technological effectiveness, technology, innovative decisions, concept, BRICS, theatrical performance, theatre school