Issue 154-155 (2022)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2640.2022.154-155.10

REVIEW ON "65 UKRAINIAN MASTERPIECES. RECOGNIZED AND IMPLICIT" BY DIANA KLOCHKO

The article is devoted to the analysis of Diana Klochko's ideas, presented in her non-fiction book "65 Ukrainian masterpieces. Recognized and implicit". In this paper, we review the content of the work, the goal and tasks that Klochko set for her book, namely, the identification and description of the main masterpieces of Ukrainian fine art in a chronological dimension from the 7th century until 1991. As part of the review, we turn to the terminology and concept of "masterpiece", as well as to the semiotic and poststructuralist method, in which we focus on the works and ideas of R. Barth, R. Krauss, B. Groys, J. Berger, and L. Nochlin.

In the end, we came to a number of conclusions that help to understand the scope of work and the relevance of Klochko's ideas. Positively, we can appreciate the easy for non-fiction style of writing and structuring of thoughts on the example of concrete works of art from different periods. Thus, the main theme of the book is the conditional "migration of images" from one cultural area to another. The author also partly follows Berger's method, comparing the art of past periods with contemporary pop culture objects. She also outlines the influence of the Western European painting school on Ukrainian art. On the other hand, we also see a number of problems in Klochko's work. First of all, it is her uncertainty in the concept of "masterpiece", which makes the criteria for the author's choice of certain art objects unclear. Secondly, certain theses of Klochko lack completeness and a clear opinion regarding the artist's intention. Third, the gender approach lacks references to more relevant theories, as exemplified, for example, by the ideas of Linda Nochlin.

In general, we can conclude that Diana Klochko's book meets the criterion of the "non-fiction" genre, introducing the reader to an art history topic in an entertaining style. At the same time, in our opinion, the work lacks more modern and complex approaches that could be appropriate within the framework of the genre.

Keywords: Ukrainian art, masterpiece, Ukrainian painting, Diana Klochko, iconology, semiotics.

Submitted: 12.12.2022