Makeenkova, A. V. ‘Classical’ and ‘Modern’ Phenomena in History of Fine Art

Abstract: The issue about ‘beginning of art history’ is not such a challenge for art studies any more, but the modern state of art still raises lots of questions. Modern art is a difficult topic to study because there are a great number of art forms nowadays. So the author suggests to use a general term ‘modernism’ for all kinds and forms of modern art. Based on the author, this term ‘modernism’ covers all modern movements in art starting from impressionism and also points out the similarity of processes that started in art at the last quarter of XIX century and have been ongoing up to the present. So far, the main intrigue in art studies is the appearance of modernism that recalled the old topic of the ‘death of art’. Kazimir Malevich’s ‘Black Square’ is now interpreted as the ‘gravestone’ of classical art. But ‘classical’ does not usually mean ‘stable’ or ‘constant ’ in art. Modernism did not ‘kill’ classical art. Classical art was gradually fading away because there was no more need in it.

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