Меморіалізація творчої спадщини Василя Дмитровича Єрмілова та його послідовників у Харківському національному університеті імені В. Н. Каразіна

Abstract

У статті досліджено процес меморіалізації творчої спадщини художника Василя Дмитровича Єрмілова та його послідовників у Харківському національному університеті імені В. Н. Каразіна. За тривалі роки творчості художник зумів запропонувати безліч новаторських рішень у сфері мистецтва і став одним з батьків сучасної візуальної культури. Широку популярність В. Д. Єрмілову принесло відкриття принципу модульних сіток у дизайні. Охарактеризовано художній спадок митця, його рідних, учнів та послідовників, що зберігається у стінах Харківського класичного університету.

В статье исследован процесс мемориализации творческого наследия художника-конструктивиста Василия Дмитриевича Ермилова в Харьковском классическом университете. За долгие годы творчества художник сумел предложить множество новаторских решений в области искусства и стал одним из отцов современной визуальной культуры. Широкую известность В. Д. Ермилову принесло открытие принципа модульных сеток в дизайне. Охарактеризовано художественное наследие художника, его родных, учеников и последователей, что сохраняется в наши дни в стенах университета.

The name of the great Ukrainian constructivist artist and designer Vasyl Yermilov is known far beyond Ukraine. For the time of artistic activity the artist offered multiple innovative solutions in art and became one of the fathers of a modern visual art. The discovery of the modular grid as a design tool was the reason of widespread appreciation of Yermilov as an artist. Though life and art of Vasyl Ermilov are of huge interest to the scholars, some episodes of his life remain poorly researched. One of such episodes is Yermilov’s connection to V. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The Yermilov family is nearly related to the history of Kharkiv Classical University, which now is named after its founder Vasyl Karazin. Vasily Karazin took part in setting of the streets and squares, where the buildings of the former University were situated. His younger brother, Ivan Yermilov (1903–1973) was a member of the architects and designers’ group that rebuilt the House of Projects after the liberation of Kharkiv. V. Yermilov’s “signature” is found in two reliefs: “Work. Science. Space” and “Tree of Life”. Nowadays these works of art continue to ornament the entry to the Great assembly hall of the University. Their authors are the sculptors V. Litvinov (1934) and Yu. Morozov (1933–1992), who are the master workman’s of the design of Kharkiv Arts Institute students. There are possibly other ties that relate Vasil Dmytrovich to Karazin University. When these works of art were created, it was the direction of the University who were one of the “ordering parties” of the reliefs, and it was the first pro-rector V. Astakhov (1922–1972) who took one of the main parts in it. Nowadays the chair of historiography, source study and archaeology (created in 1964) of the faculty of history of V. Karazin Kharkiv National University is decorated with its founder’s, Victor Astakhov’s portrait painted by the laureate of creative prize in design named after V. Yermilov of Kharkiv city administration (2001), artist O. Lazarenko (1961). The Yermilov Centre (the first centre of modern arts in Kharkiv), which was open in 2011 as affiliated to V. Karazin Kharkiv National University (4, Svobody square) played certain part in drawing our attention to this subject. The presence of a youth movement, a creative one in the first place, which set a goal of propaganda of V. Yermilov’s art and preservation of his memory in modern Kharkiv, is symbolic for us. There are students and teachers of V. Karazin Kharkiv National University among its participants. The creative group “Yermilov-Kosarev’s mansard” that initiate different activities propagating Vasil Dmitrovich’s heritage also functions actively in Kharkiv. In 2014 (on the 21st of February) the society celebrated Vasyl Yermilov’s 120 years anniversary. Critical political events in the country did not give an opportunity to fully give proper respect to the artist of poster and pictorial art. And still, a thematic exhibition took place in Kharkiv Art Museum, so did different events on the base of the exhibition complex “Yermilov Centre” and Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts. The day before the memorable date many buildings of the city were ornamented with paintings “à-la Yermilov”.