Bukreeva, A. N. Epistemological Aspects of the Symbols of a Visual Art Image

Abstract: The subject under review is the concept and definition of a visual art image. Art image is viewed as the image having particular conceptual characteristics that change depending on many conditions and cultural and historical factors. Bukreeva demonstrates the same art image can be perceived very differently by the representatives of different cultures and different nations. The researcher analyzes the traditional symbols and signs that were the most typical for ancient civilizations (hand and palm) and demonstrates how the perception of personality and addressee of a sign has been changing throughout history. One of the aspects of research is the relation between a symbol and a sign, image and meaning, and epistemological conditions of the above mentioned relation (Richardson’s Triangle). The research is based on the hermeneutic approach to the analysis of the meaning of an art image and at the same time involves both traditional cultural-historical analysis and epistemological views on particular cultural images that have been formed historically in different nations. In addition, the researcher also evaluates particular symbols from the point of view of a certain religious teaching and traces back between mythological and religious understanding of these or those images. For example, the researcher analyzes the old Russian icon, its parameters and what art school of icon-painting it belonged to (Novgorod school). Bukreeva also analyzes creativity in art and concludes that cultural facilities, especially those that have plural meanings, should be viewed from the point of view of the epistemological analysis of creative work. The researcher proves that there is a certain relation between a symbol and an image, between contents of a visual image and the meaning this image conveys. Analysis of art images also involves a hermeneutic approach that allows to find the true, hidden meaning beyond the visual image or a text. Bukreeva concludes that understanding of the meaning of particular images, signs and symbols relates to their interpretation which creates the integrated visual image of an art work. In this way or another, art work is connected with the creation of art images and therefore an art image has a particular meaning (historical, traditional-cultural, semantic, mystical, symbolic, etc.)

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