VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE UKRAINIAN FOLK TALE: ILLUSTRATION AS A MEANS OF PRESERVING CULTURAL IDENTITY

Abstract

The article is devoted to an art-historical review of selected illustrated editions of Ukrainian folk and authorial fairy tales published by the Ukrainian diaspora throughout the 20th century, up to 1991, with an emphasis on issues of national identity, cultural continuity, and visual codes. The paper addresses the artist’s responsibility toward cultural heritage and the accurate interpretation of the illustrated text by readers, in particular, the need for a conscious reference to ethnographic sources when creating visual imagery, illustrated by examples from books in the digital libraries of the USA and Canada. It also examines the outcomes of the artists’ deliberate refusal to use or their transformation of visual markers in the process of illustrating folklore texts. The value of this analysis lies not only in studying this phenomenon within Ukraine but also in highlighting the approaches to visual storytelling developed by artists of Ukrainian origin who preserved and evolved cultural traditions, while living abroad. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to analyze the works of these artists to understand how the illustration of a fairy tale can serve as a means of cultural communication, as an introduction to national culture, and as an educational tool. The study pays particular attention to illustrators’ compositional solutions, techniques, and authorial approaches. Methodology. The research employs methods of visual analysis, content analysis, and a structural-semiotic approach, integrated within an interdisciplinary framework that combines art-historical, ethnocultural, pedagogical, and visual-communicative methodologies. Results. Illustration in diaspora editions functioned as an active medium of cultural communication: through depictions of clothing, everyday life, and architecture, artists ensured the visual continuity of tradition and the recognizability of the nation. Typological approaches to working with cultural attributes were identified – from meticulous ethnographic reconstruction to individual artistic interpretations. The analysis of compositional and technical solutions demonstrated that the combination of form, ornament, and scenography determines the emotional and cognitive impact of illustration on a child. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the study examines the specific use of cultural attributes – folk costume, architectural and household motifs, ornamentation – in illustrated editions of the Ukrainian diaspora of the 20th century. It reveals the mechanisms of their reproduction, transformation, or conscious omission and the influence of these choices on shaping visual identity in young readers. Practical relevance. The research contributes to the reinterpretation of the diaspora’s visual heritage within the context of contemporary artistic practice in Ukraine. It also provides practical guidelines for illustrators and publishers concerning the responsible use of cultural attributes and possible strategies for their reconstruction or meaningful transformation, serving as an example for artists seeking to deepen their creative practice through theoretical reflection.