The relevance of the study is due to the growing importance of design practices in the global context and the economy of Ukraine. In comparison with Western European countries, the theoretical basis of the Ukrainian design began its formation only in the second half of the XX century. At the initial stage, the theoretical basis of the Ukrainian design was completely subordinated to the Soviet ideological model with the parallel existence of concepts of hudozhnogo konstruyuvannya and technical aesthetics. The growing demand for the design of quality products has created a steady need for design professionals. In this context, the success of the design industry depends on quality specialized education oriented on a strong theoretical basis.
The thesis is dedicated to the research of theoretical directions of design in Ukraine of the second half of the XX – beginning of the XXI century. According to the results of the research, the theoretical directions of the national design of this period were analyzed and systematized. Based on semantic analysis of text corpus of national theoretical discourse fifteen theoretical directions were identified, according to which the theoretical basis of the Ukrainian design of the second half of the XX – beginning of the XXI century is formed. It is established that the most comprehensive coverage was given to functionalist, formative, design-methodological, cultural, visual perception, aesthetic directions; and there are few pieces of researches that concern ecological, universal/inclusive, prognostic theoretical directions. It is revealed notions that aren't included in the researched theoretical directions, which allowed forming hypotheses about the expediency of expansion of theoretical directions.
Based on comparative and historical-genetic methods of analysis of scientific literature and works of art for the first time hypotheses of development of new theoretical directions and necessity of their inclusion in a theoretical basis are formulated and analyzed: visual culture. Art and design are perceived as metalanguages of visual-verbal thinking in images, reproducing in postmodern practice the polystylistic and eclectic variety of possible combinations; media-communicative or media design. Media design is broadly defined as a whole complex of visual practices of means of communication of the modern mass media. The analysis of theoretical basis revealed the active use of the theory of convergent media and neuroaesthetics; conceptualistic. Awareness of contemporary art at the present stage as a post-conceptual art and the use of conceptualism as a theoretical direction; perceptual. The analysis of the theoretical basis revealed that the most relevant theory is the theory of perceptual culture. The analysis of the mythology of modern society revealed an active myth-making associated with the stage of digital communicative development of society: "information society theory", "virtualization", "artificial intelligence" and others.
The author proposes a new etymology of the term "design" and a new formulation of the design paradigm in the context of postmodern artistic practices. The theoretical basis of the newly formed directions of design of the XXI century (visual culture, media-communicative, conceptualistic, perceptual) relies on modern practices and scientific-theoretical researches, which contain a mandatory visual component. The variety of theoretical directions and theories testify both to the active expansion of the conceptual boundaries of design in artistic practices, and the emergence of new vectors of artistic and semantic evolution of project activities, which rapidly entered the art of modern society.
Keywords: theory of design, theoretical directions of design, theoretical basis of design, theoretical foundations of design, innovative directions of design, evolution of design.
