The ethno-mythological motif as a resource in the modern visual art of Siberia

Abstract

The article explores how the mythological beliefs of the indigenous peoples of Siberia have influenced the creation of artistic images in the work of contemporary Siberian artists. The goal of this study is to understand the role and presence of ethno-mythological motifs in the art of Siberia in the 21st century. The article briefly outlines the main stages of how these motifs have developed in Siberian art. It also examines the images that artists commonly use and classifies them. The scientific novelty of this research lies in introducing the names of new artists into scholarly discourse. As a result, it has been discovered that the imagery in many works is rooted in universal symbolism, which is characteristic of various world cultures. A significant portion of these images includes depictions of spirits who are the guardians of the land, animals, and anthropomorphic figures found on Neolithic artworks from the region, as well as in shamanic symbols, ethnic, mythological representations of the Siberian peoples, and folklore texts. In essence, traditional culture serves as a framework that gives shape to the semantic content of these artistic creations.