SYMBOLS AS A LIFE-AFFIRMING FOUNDATION FOR VISUALISING UKRAINE’S CULTURAL MONUMENTS

Abstract

The relevance of this research is dictated by the current circumstances of Russian hostile aggression, which deliberately seeks to erase the historical memory and national identity of Ukrainians. Purpose. To characterise the symbol as the basis for visualising two restored architectural monuments of Ukrainian culture – the Zaborovskyi Gate and the surviving monument to Hryhorii Skovoroda on the grounds of the damaged literary-memorial museum in the Kharkiv region (2022). Methodology. The methodology rests on a range of approaches, notably comparative analysis, source criticism and the synthesis of the results obtained. Results. Having overcome an act of destruction, the Hryhorii Skovoroda Literary-Memorial Museum now demonstrates the evolution of its identity in response to this challenge: from a local memorial space it has been transformed into a symbol of global significance – a symbol of the indestructibility of the Ukrainian spirit. Because symbols remain the dominant features of Ukrainian cultural monuments, we draw on the theses of Carl Gustav Jung’s analytical psychology, whose vitality endures. His definition of the symbol provides the foundation for our understanding of the term as a sign endowed with philosophical depth. The symbolism of the philosopher Hryhorii Skovoroda, one of the indispensable artistic hallmarks of the Baroque era, is re-examined. We propose incorporating a video sequence of the Ukrainian Baroque monument – the Zaborovskyi Gate in the enclosure of Saint Sophia Cathedral – into a three-dimensional environment, which will presumably trigger an insight in viewers. It would be advisable to add the caption: “Do you wish to understand Baroque architecture? Study the Zaborovskyi Gate!”, for it illustrates the significance of a longlasting, recognisable identity that becomes synonymous with national culture. Scientific novelty. The article improves the interpretation of the visual identification of cultural monuments of Ukraine as a complex design dimension of their image, which ensures recognition when physical objects are damaged. Practical relevance is to affirm the role of design as a tool for preserving cultural heritage in times of war, when physical objects can be destroyed or mutilated. The proposed approach to the visual identification of architectural monuments – in particular, the Zaborovsky Gate – in three-dimensional space contributes to their recognition, popularization, and rethinking in the context of modern challenges.