Символічний ландшафт у графічному дизайні Радянської України та української діаспори (1945–1989 роки)

Abstract

На прикладах українського радянського плакату й обкладинок періодичних видань діаспори 1945–1989 рр. розглянуто символічні зображення України за допомогою ландшафту. З’ясовано, що міський та сільський ландшафти в обидвох випадках представлено відповідно до ідеологічного контексту. Радянські приклади наголошували на модернізації останніх років і символічно показували майбутнє. Діаспорні твори переповнені ностальгією за минулим та зображають ідеальні позачасові картини. Визначено, що символіка ландшафту пов’язана не стільки з реальним середовищем, як із різними візіями національної ідентичності.

На примерах украинского советского плаката и обложек изданий диаспоры 1945–1989 гг. рассмотрены символические изображения Украины с помощью ландшафта. Выяснено, что городской и сельский ландшафты в обоих случаях представляется в соответствии с идеологическим контекстом. Советские примеры подчеркивают модернизацию последних лет и символически показывают будущее. Диаспорные произведения переполнены ностальгией по прошлому и изображают идеальные вневременные картины. Определено, что символика ландшафта связывается не столько с реальной средой, сколько с различными видениями национальной идентичности.

Based on the Soviet Ukrainian posters and periodicals’ covers of the Diaspora from 1945–1989, symbolic landscape images of Ukraine have been analyzed. Soviet institutions, communities in the diaspora offered different visions, nostalgically recalling the past that is already gone or the future that is to come. Ukrainian city, both in the Soviet and diaspora designs, is represented quite often, but these images emphasize opposite values. In the diaspora, the most important urban symbol is a church. Two main cathedrals, St. Sophia in Kyiv and St. George in Lviv illustrate respective Ukrainian cities, communicating the idea of “East” and “West”. Their combination promotes the idea of unity. Other architectural symbols for the diaspora are the Kyiv Teacher’s House (a place of Central Rada – The Ukrainian parliament in 1917–1918), Zaborovsky Gate, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (representing the building as it was built in Hetman Ivan Mazepa’s time). A symbol of the Ukrainian capital in graphic design of both Ukrainian diaspora and Soviet Ukraine is the image of Golden Gate. Émigré publications show the ruins of this monument before the renovation. Soviet posters, instead, praise results of the early 1980’s reconstruction, on the one hand reminding about history, and on the other – glorifying achievements of the Soviet state. In general, the Soviet version of urban landscape shows achievements of the Soviet urbanization only, while the pre-Soviet monuments (including the churches that were so important for diaspora) remain invisible. In addition to easily recognizable public buildings and monuments, Soviet city symbolic panoramas include residential and industrial areas. A common symbolic image of Ukrainian land, which was used in both of the political contexts, was a wheat field. In the diaspora, wheat spikes and wheat sheaves are represented quite often. A wheat field in the Soviet posters is one of the most popular symbols, communicating the idea of collective farming agricultural achievements. However, in many cases, it stands for Ukraine and differentiates it among the other Soviet republics. Images of Ukrainian village in Soviet Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora were quite different. Soviet posters represent Ukrainian villages in the context of the collective farms’ achievements only. Modern planning, new infrastructure, and public buildings make these villages look like cities. Ukrainian village in diaspora shows no modernization and looks timeless – white huts under straw roofs surround a church. The symbolism of the Ukrainian village changed in the end of 80’s; it was one of the signs of Perestroika. In late Soviet posters, wooden fences, straw roofs, poplar trees are back and become identical to the diaspora images. In the end of 1989 – early 1990, a church returns to the rural landscape. By the time when Ukrainian poster is free from communist ideology, national landscape symbols in the USSR and diaspora become the same. Most examples of the Ukrainian symbolic landscape in graphic design represent the past or the future. Memories and nostalgia for the “lost paradise” of native land were cultivated in the Ukrainian diaspora. Soviet propaganda stressed on a happy future, the signs of which are already visible today. The romantic Ukrainian past was not familiar to everyone in the diaspora, as well as the communist future could not be experienced in Soviet Ukraine, but the established ideological contexts demanded such symbols. Over time, they turned into a cliché and became a part of the mindset of several generations.