Psychogeography as a Dominant Factor in Determining the Direction of Creativity and Social Activity of I. K. Aivazovsky

The life and creative path of I. K. Aivazovsky is widely known, yet researchers have not paid enough attention to psychogeography as one of the dominant factors determining the formation and development of his creative personality. Developing within ‘situationist international’ milieu, the term “psychogeography” is correlated with the scientific spheres of social psychology and philosophy, and is fully applicable to the art of the early 21 c. This term, in our opinion, should also be applied to the broad field of art history. Aivazovsky traveled all over the world. Travels in Italy, Western European countries, trips to Turkey and the Caucasus became milestones of his creative path, but he drew inspiration, first of all, in his native Feodosia. Turning to the study of the psychogeography of I. K. Aivazovsky's creativity, one should also turn to the genesis of his kind. Belonging to the Crimean Armenians played an important role in life of the future artist. The Armenian colony in Crimea has more than 600 years of history. Ivan Aivazovsky studied at the Armenian parish school at St. Sarkis Church, where he received his primary education. The inquisitive student sought to expand his knowledge in every possible way, in particular, memorized many legends and authentic historical facts related to the origin of his hometown, which also allows us to consider the genesis of personality, as well as the formation and then recognition of I. K. Aivazovsky as an artist and public figure, based on the concept of “psychogeography”. Psychogeography is determined as the dominant factor of creativity and social activity of I. K. Aivazovsky. The lands of Feodosia are the most important historical and artistic space of I. K. Aivazovsky from the 1820s to 1900. The proof of this is his historical-religious, landscape works, his foundation of the “Cimmerian school of Painting”, his works on the improvement of Feodosia. Two elements — the sea and the city — were perceived inseparably as the source of the philosophy of creativity, activity, giving the genesis of the psychogeography of his life in the scenery of the seaside town.