Russian Studies in Culture and Society (Dec 2023)
THE CONCEPT OF THE NATIONAL HERO «QUONAKH» IN PAINTING AND GRAPHICS DURING THE CHECHEN CRISIS (90S OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY)
Abstract
The paper is devoted to the research and study of the artistic interpretation of the concept of “Quonakh” (national hero) in Chechen painting and graphics in the 1990s. The novelty of the paper is the appeal to the origins of the concept of “Quonakh” in the works of Chechen artists, which found manifestation in certain historical conditions, respectively. The chronological scope of the study covers the period of the so-called “the First Chechen War” or the operation to restore constitutional order in Chechnya (1994-1996) and the post-war years (1996-1999). In the visual culture of this time, images of national leaders appear, carrying at this stage not so much an aesthetic, but an ideological load. Beybulat Taimiev, Zelimkhan Kharachoevsky, Baysangur Benoevsky and other heroes become, in a certain sense, symbols of Chechen culture and are still present in it to nowadays. Heroic images (in their close connection with the most important national concept), embodied in the interpretation of Chechen artists of the late 90s (XX century), are analyzed. The most professionally executed and deep in content works of Sultan Abaev, Kharon Isaev, Said Bitziraev, Khasan Sediev, which are characterized not only by a patriotic orientation, but also by a veiled form of perception of the atmosphere of modernity, were selected for the research. The purpose of this article is to identify and describe the structural and semantic features of the image-concept “Quonakh” and its reflection in professional national fine arts, which is very important in the context of not only Chechen, but also Russian culture. The methodology is based on art criticism, comparative and system-constructive analysis. The use of the historical-biographical method allows us to trace the influence of specific historical personalities on the process of creating a pictorial image. The conclusions of the study include the recapitulation about the possibilities of “artistic and figurative interpretation of philosophical concepts” that contribute to the creation of new artistic realities by transmitting feelings of heroism, patriotism, honor, using educational techniques based on the traditions of the Chechens/Nokhchiis. The image-concept “Quonakh” is one of the axiological dominants on which the existence of a distinctive ethnic culture is based. In fact, real “Chechenness”, as a property of the national character, is manifested by the presence in it of connections with the “Quonakhalla” code.
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