Abstract: The subject of the study is piano accompaniment, considered as an equal and synergistic component of vocal performance. The article discusses in detail the conditions under which accompaniment ceases to be merely a support and becomes an active source of expressiveness. Key parameters that determine the quality of the ensemble are analyzed: the alignment of texture with the tessitura and registers of the voice, dynamic balance, tempo synchronization, as well as the use of transposition and tonal "bridges" for acoustic adaptation. Special attention is given to the systematization of typical problems that reduce artistic results: stylistic inconsistency with the vocal task, insufficient flexibility in transposition and modulation, unjustified concentration of energy in conflicting register zones, and an unbalanced dynamic profile. It has been established that these factors lead to masking of timbre, weakening of projection, and acoustic imbalance. The research methodology relies on a comprehensive analysis that combines artistic-stylistic and acoustic-performing approaches. Methods of comparative analysis of scores, analysis of performing techniques (flexible transposition, choice of texture), and principles of acoustic adaptation (tuning the tessitura and dynamic profile) in rehearsal and concert practice are used. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the proposed practical framework, which, unlike traditional approaches, links artistic interpretation with measurable acoustic parameters. This framework is based on verifiable procedures for optimizing accompaniment to achieve a synergistic effect. A significant contribution of the author is the justification of flexible strategies (score analysis and breathing "windows," the application of rehearsal signals, modulation considering the hall's acoustics) as an effective tool for solving specific performance problems, including timbre masking and dynamic imbalance. The main conclusions of the conducted research are propositions that this approach, unlike mechanical accompaniment, purposefully reveals the individuality of the singer, enhances the clarity of the text, and improves voice projection. It has been proven that such a detailed adjustment of the tessitura and dynamic profile provides a stable artistic whole in a real, acoustically variable concert space.

Keywords: piano accompaniment, vocal performance, texture, tessitura, transposition, tonal transitions, dynamic balance, ensemble synchronization, sight-reading, acoustic adaptation

Abstract: The article analyzes the images of power and subordinates on postcards of Japan in the 1900s, the last decade of the Meiji period (1868–1912). During this period, the country's government devoted a lot of efforts to creating a united nation and militaristic propaganda. Along with newspapers, magazines, and photographs, postcards take the place of a means of public communication due to the presence of an illustrative part. Therefore, by the beginning of the twentieth century, after the lifting of the ban on images of the emperor, and with the outbreak of the Russian-Japanese war, male, female, and children's images and related subjects on postcards were actively updated in a propaganda manner. They represent the governors, that is, the emperor, his entourage, and employees of Ministries, and construct the desired and approved behavior of the governed, ordinary citizens. The iconographic method of the French historian Jerome Bachet allowed us to identify a series of images based on themes based on gender. The approach of the English sociologist Stuart Hall helps to more accurately analyze the visualization of the system of power relations in the plots of illustrations. The author selected more than twenty postcards for research, which she introduced into scientific circulation. In the article, she shows the main subjects of postcard illustrations, artistic techniques, and highlights the features of image construction in the context of cultural changes in Japan. The images of ordinary soldiers, their wives, and children were reduced in comparison with real life, and demonstrated the necessary qualities to support the country, especially in the military sphere. At the same time, the images are not divorced from reality, the illustrations have a place for everyday details, holidays, joys and sorrows of human life. But the emphasis in the plots is shifting towards loyal sentiments, to demonstrate an idealized image of the country's leaders and slightly rustic, but sincere citizens of the country.

Keywords: power, images of power, postcards, construction, Japan, representation, Meiji period, illustration of postcards, artistic techniques, means of public communication

Abstract: The article is dedicated to the study of the cultural and social roots of the audience's desire to interact with works of art and media, focusing on television. The relevance of the work is determined by the processes of digitalization and hybridization of media, leading to the formation of new interactive forms of screen art and the transformation of traditional broadcasting formats. The aim of the research is to identify stable cultural patterns underlying the evolution of television interactivity. Tracing the path from early strategies of imitating dialogue to complete technological convergence with the internet, the work demonstrates how the basic proto-interactive form of participation consistently evolves, acquiring new technological manifestations—from rhetorical techniques of the host to the integration of interactive applications into the broadcast stream (HbbTV). The study also includes a socio-philosophical analysis aimed at uncovering the deep-seated reasons behind the audience's desire for interactivity. The research is based on a historical-artistic approach and structural-functional analysis. Methods such as historical reconstruction of media practices, comparative analysis of interactive practices across different eras, as well as theoretical analysis of key concepts from philosophy, sociology, and media theory (alienation, "mass man," "textual poaching") are employed in the work. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the introduction of an original typology that differentiates forms of audience interaction with works (proto- and para-interactivity). The proposed typology is applied to identify and analyze the historical continuity in the development of television. The evolution of television interactivity is systematically examined as an embodiment and technological development from the proto-interactive paradigm (from imitation of dialogue and the institutionalization of feedback to its complete technological hybridization with the internet). The study reveals the interconnection between the development of interactivity in media and the culturally rooted need for participation. In the context of mass society, where the individual experiences a lack of genuine agency and meaningful activity, interactive media play a compensatory role. They create a symbolic space in which the causal relationship between action and response is reproduced, offering the user a sense of control and immediate feedback. Consequently, the emergence of hybrid television appears as a logical stage in media evolution aimed at symbolically satisfying the demand to overcome alienation and achieve participation.

Keywords: interactivity, hybridity, television, screen arts, mass culture, internet, convergence, alienation, media evolution, digitization

Abstract: This study focuses on the emerging phenomenon of philosophical art criticism. Art criticism is a public cultural sphere in which the functions of critics, philosophers, and artists overlap to some extent, and philosophical tendency has existed for a long time. Philosophy and art closely interact through criticism, creating new theories with critical force and blurring the boundaries between philosophy and art. The goal of this study is to define philosophical art criticism, distinguish its main characteristics, and reveal the level of its influence on both art criticism and philosophy. The central question in analyzing the phenomenon of philosophical art criticism is why philosophers engage in art criticism and how they do so. The reason for the turn of philosophy towards art criticism is explained by the fact that in the second half of the 20th century, art, rather than science, became the philosopher's interlocutor, and some philosophers realized that classical philosophy (for example, classical aesthetics) cannot critique contemporary art. Confronted with the radical practices of contemporary art, classical philosophy revealed its critical inadequacy. The research methodology relies on the concept of "philosophical art criticism," methods of the sociocultural analysis of contemporary art criticism and textual analysis of philosophical arguments that reveal the shortcomings of classical philosophy in the criticism of works of art, and attempts at self-criticism of philosophy. The transition from the philosophy of art to "philosophical art criticism" is characterized by both a greater equality between philosophy and art and a significant methodological shift in the philosophy of art itself: philosophy truly penetrates the realm of art, encounters elements that contradict it, thereby redefining the boundaries between philosophy and non-philosophy. Consequently, the transition to "philosophical art criticism" requires, first and foremost, a change in philosophical methodology. In art criticism, the philosopher does not abstractly expound the essence of art, but attempts to interpret artistic images in specific contexts. It is precisely this difference in methodology that distinguishes the philosophy of art from philosophical art criticism. Philosophical art criticism contributes to the development of art criticism, long held back by the institution and the art market, and also fosters self-criticism and self-renewal within philosophy, playing a positive role in both contexts. However, philosophical art criticism will not fundamentally change the existing state of criticism. The future of philosophical art criticism lies in deepening the interaction between philosophy and art, harnessing the power of the image inherent in specific works of art to enhance the visibility of philosophy and create a new, critical philosophy of art.

Keywords: philosophical art criticism, art criticism, philosophy of art, Rosalind Krauss, critical discourse, self-critique of philosophy, standpoint epistemology, objectivity of philosophy, positivism, philosophy of Marxism

Abstract: The object of the study is the phenomenon of Buddhism as a transnational religious tradition integrated into the Chinese civilizational matrix; the subject is the mechanisms of cultural transformation and localization of Buddhism in China, including linguistic-semantic practices of translation, mythological reconfiguration of images, artistic reception, regional variations of rituals, and institutional forms of regulation. The focus is on the processes of forming meanings and symbols during intercultural dialogue, the role of translation schools, monastic and secular mediators, artistic practices (佛教造像, 壁画, 唐卡), and state normative initiatives in constructing "nationally relevant" forms of religiosity. The empirical basis of the research relies on historical-textual analysis of translation traditions and sources, conferences, and a collection of publications on institutional religious policy. The methodological foundation of the article combines cultural analysis, historical-philosophical reconstruction, a comparative approach, and elements of critical political sociology in interpreting contemporary regulatory practices. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the comprehensive synthesis of linguistic, mythopoetic, artistic, and institutional perspectives to explain the mechanisms of localization of Buddhism in Chinese culture. For the first time, it is systematically shown that localization is realized through the coordinated activity of various agents and practices: translation strategies that create semantic equivalents; artistic transformations of images that ensure mass visual reception; regional adaptations of rituals that form a plurality of local variants; and normative measures by the state that set the framework for legitimate religiosity. The study demonstrates that these mechanisms act in synergy: artistic and textual practices solidify changes in material and symbolic culture, while institutional support either accelerates or standardizes the processes of localization. For the first time, a comprehensive explanation of the localization mechanisms is proposed, linking linguistic, visual, ritual, and institutional processes into a single analytical framework, thereby expanding theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of religions in cultural transformations.

Keywords: Localization of religion, Buddhism in China, Cultural transformation, Translation practices, Mythological reconfiguration, Visual reception, Institutional policies, Regional variability, religiousness, Nationally appropriate forms

Abstract: The subject of the article is urban cultural symbols as external carriers of cultural memory and tools for the transformation of heritage into sustainable forms of collective identity in East Asia. The aim of the work is to identify and compare the mechanisms of visualization of the past and the institutional «nurturing» of memory in three historical cities of the region: Kaifeng (China), Himeji (Japan) and Gyeongju (Republic of Korea). The methodological basis of the research includes the theory of cultural and communicative memory by Jan Assman, the concept of memory spaces by Aleida Assman, and the «memory places» approach by Pierre Nora.; Comparative historical analysis and discourse analysis of institutional documents of heritage preservation are used. As a result, three typological models of East Asian cultural memory are substantiated: reconstructive (China) – actualization of the «absolute past» through a simulacrum and set design based on a canonical image; fixing (Japan) – stabilization of identity through the preservation of authentic material form and expertly organized restoration cycles.; Landscape (Korea) is a distributed memory integrated into the archaeological and natural environment and supported by museology and archaeology. The scientific novelty consists in the typologization of the mechanisms of transformation of urban heritage into cultural memory through the combination of «carrier – institution – visual mode». The practical significance of the results is determined by their applicability in cultural policy, urban planning, museum management and sustainable tourism when choosing strategies for reconstruction, conservation or landscape museification. It is concluded that it is necessary to adjust Western-centric ideas about «authenticity»: in East Asia, places of memory are formed not only by monumentalization, but also by cyclical renewal and ecological integration.

Keywords: urban cultural symbols, cultural memory, communicative memory, visualisation of memory, Kaifeng, Himeji, Gyeongju, cultural identity, cultural heritage, comparative cultural studies

Abstract: The article is devoted to the ethnographic analysis of the traditional Chinese festival Lichun – the Beginning of Spring. Its origin is associated with the Chinese agricultural calendar, and its history can be traced back to the Zhou era. In the article, based on the analysis of the principle of compiling the Chinese agricultural calendar, the authors give a description of the Lichun season. Much attention is paid to such aspects of the holiday as the history of its origin, its most important traditions - "meeting spring", "announcement of spring", making a "spring bull", "lashing spring", "spring noise", "biting spring", etc., as well as their regional variations. The article also reveals the relationship of Lichun with folk arts and crafts and cooking. The study demonstrates the significant role of the Lichun festival in the modern culture of China. The following methods were used: analysis of studies devoted to ancient Chinese astronomy, historical sources, systematization and classification of ethnographic data on the celebration of the onset of the Lichun season, comparative analysis of similar customs of welcoming spring in different regions of China. Detailed studies of the holidays included in the cycle of the traditional agricultural calendar of China have not been conducted in Russian science, information about it is fragmentary, often concentrated in popular science publications and social networks. The purpose of the study is to fill this gap by turning to authentic sources about one of the most important spring festivals, accompanying their research with illustrative material. The article proves the important role of the Lichun festival, since despite changes in culture under the influence of globalization, the Chinese people continue to honor it and perceive it as one of the aspects of national culture.

Keywords: Chinese culture, Chinese festivals, Chinese customs, Chinese agricultural seasons, Lichun, Beginning of Spring, spring bull, whipping the earthen bull, welcoming spring, hiding from spring

Abstract: The study is dedicated to the analysis of the artistic image of Danse macabre in the work of playwright and director Alexander Mindadze, whose works represent a consistent artistic statement about the catastrophic state of contemporary society. Mindadze's scriptwriting language evolves from psychological drama and social reflection to metaphysics, with the narrative centered around characters faced with extreme circumstances: from private incidents to large-scale historical cataclysms. Catastrophe in Mindadze's scripts functions as an event that exposes the limits of human existence and the presence of death. The bodily reaction of the characters to the approach of doom takes on particular significance in this artistic system. The material of the study includes the works “Parade of Planets” (1984), “The Servant” (1988), “The Dancer's Time” (1997), “On Saturday” (2011), and “The Floor” (2021), in which this reaction is expressed through scenes of dance. Dance becomes a stable model of behavior for the characters in situations of impending or already occurred catastrophe. This solution allows for a correlation between Mindadze's poetics and the allegorical tradition of Danse macabre, which traces back to the medieval motif of the Dance of Death. The methodological basis of the study consists of a cultural-anthropological approach to the study of the macabre tradition by historian Philippe Ariès and art historian Vilya Mirimanov, as well as thanatological concepts by culturalologist Olga Kirillova and philosopher Nikolai Khrenov, who analyze the representation of death in cinematography. The analysis confirms that in the dramaturgy of Alexander Mindadze, dance functions as a stable model of bodily behavior for the hero in an extreme situation. In films created in collaboration with Vadim Abdrashitov, as well as in Mindadze's directorial works, scenes of dance become a way to organize chaotic reality through active bodily movements. The correlation of these scenes with the tradition of Danse macabre allows them to be regarded as a form of implicit presence of death in the bodily expressions of the characters. Dance does not fulfill a salvational function but sublimates the fear of death, fixing the inertia of existence in the aftermath of a catastrophe. The novelty of the study lies in the systematic analysis of the motif of dance in Alexander Mindadze's work as a structural principle rather than an episodic artistic device. The development of Mindadze's scriptwriting language highlights the role of embodiment in the evolution of Russian cinematic dramaturgy over recent decades: from Soviet film prose to new drama.

Keywords: screenplay, screenwriter, disaster film, Soviet cinema, post-Soviet cinema, thanatology of cinema, Philippe Ariè, Vadim Abdrashitov, cinema of the stagnation period, cinema of the perestroika period

Abstract: The subject of this study is the artistic aesthetics of the Sino-Russian "Great Tea Road" and its transformation into contemporary cultural and creative design. The aim of the study is to systematically identify the key aesthetic dimensions of the material heritage of the Tea Road and develop a scientifically grounded methodology for adapting it to create cultural and creative products. The methodology is based on an interdisciplinary synthesis of art history and artistic design. The analysis relies on material artifacts (tea bricks, trademarks, packaging, utensils, advertising posters, and vehicles) using Peirce's triadic semiotics and the concept of intercultural aesthetic adaptability. Results: A three-level structure of the aesthetics of the Tea Road has been established: material (a synthesis of Chinese ornamentation and Western design), communicative (ritualized forms of intercultural exchange), and spiritual (the values of fair trade and cultural inclusiveness). A logic of aesthetic transformation has been developed: "decoding symbols – aesthetic translation – reconstruction of functions – cultural translation." A theoretical framework for the cultural and creative design of "intercultural aesthetic symbioticity" is proposed. It includes four levels: the value core of symbiosis, the transformation of bicultural symbols through the "key + auxiliary symbols" model, functional adaptation to differentiated consumer scenarios, and a digital translation matrix. Scope: designing cultural and creative products for the Chinese-Russian market, intercultural artistic exchange, and cultural and tourism projects along the Tea Road. The novelty lies in the systematization of the aesthetic parameters of intercultural heritage through the analysis of authentic artifacts and the creation of an operationalizable design methodology that ensures a balance of cultural authenticity and contemporary adaptability. Conclusions: The contemporary inheritance of traditional intercultural heritage requires the integration of art history as the foundation of cultural continuity and artistic design as a tool for activating traditional aesthetics. Cultural and creative products serve as an effective medium for transmitting intercultural aesthetic values and facilitating Chinese-Russian cultural dialogue.

Keywords: Great Tea Road, modern aesthetics, aesthetic synthesis, aesthetics of cultural heritage, transformation of aesthetics, semiotics of design, cultural and creative design, intercultural adaptation, intercultural design, intercultural aesthetic symbioticity

Abstract: The article is dedicated to M. A. Kuzmin's "Alexandrian Songs" (1872–1936) – a distinctive poet, prose writer, playwright, composer, literary critic, and translator of the Silver Age. He was closely associated with the World of Art movement and Symbolists, participated in the creation of the declaration "On Beautiful Clarity," and after the revolution, he found himself at the head of the group of "emotionalists" – Petrograd literary figures who were captivated by expressionism. The examined cycle is rightly recognized as one of the bright examples of free verse, refracting the idea of "beautiful clarity" in the early poetry of the author. The songs testify to Kuzmin's aestheticism, reflecting his fascination with the culture of Ancient Egypt, which is less popular than Greek and Roman antiquity but significant for understanding the role of classical art. The main emotional impulse for the emergence of the cycle was Kuzmin's visit to Alexandria in 1895, combined with historical and aesthetic ideas about this eternal city drawn from various sources. The methodology of this article is based on a comprehensive approach that includes archival and bibliographic, historiographic, cultural, and analytical methods. The work has repeatedly become the subject of reflection by many literary scholars (N. K. Volkenau, V. M. Zhirmunsky, J. E. Malmstad, and V. F. Markov, A. V. Lavrov and R. D. Timenchik, N. A. Bogomolov, G. S. Vasyutochkin, O. A. Ovcharenko, M. L. Gasparov and T. V. Skulacheva, L. G. Panova, O. N. Neganova, and others). At the same time, there is not a single musicological study dedicated to this composition. This fact determines the scientific novelty and relevance of the work. The author concludes that the cycle fits into the context of the search for a poetic-musical synthesis characteristic of the early 20th century. The melodic foundation of the songs is built according to the principles of speech intonation. At the same time, the miniatures revive the original understanding of lyricism as singing.

Keywords: Alexandrian Songs, Mikhail Kuzmin, Silver Age, Alexandria, Ancient Egypt, lyrics, vocal cycle, free verse, Evenings of Contemporary Music, chamber vocal music