Doctoral thesis reflects the legacy of Mikhal’ Semenko’s (1892–1937), a famous Ukrainian poet, narrator, playwright, art theorisr, organizer of cultural and artistic projects within 1914–1937. The study emphasizes the principle of ‘theoretical and practical parity’ which shaped the specific basis for the heritage of the founder of ‘Ukrainian futuristic model’.
The theoretical legacy of contemporary humanistics is systematized. On its ground the reasons for changes in paradigm of development both European and Ukrainian art at the beginning of the 20th century are argued. It is shown that the basis for such changes was shaped, on the one hand, by social, political and ideological processes, and on the other hand, by gradual adoption of new viewpoint orientations in European philosophy, aesthetics and art history like positivism, Nietzscheism, Freudism, intuitivism. All that caused the review of artistic creation practice and, grounded on the idea of realism exhaustibility, shaped the platform for transition to a new experimental art which would be defined by neo-reaslistic orientation : within 1905–1915 in European cultural space fovism, futurism, cubism and cubofuturism asserted themselves quite confidently.
The feasibility of introduction the formal and logical structure of ‘Ukrainian futuristic model’ into theoretical use is proved. It started its shaping in 1914 by Mikhal’ Semenko against the background of national culture.
The comparative analysis of Italian, Russian and Ukrainian futurism is made. It is noted that ‘Ukrainian futuristic model’ should be based on consistent denial from artistic traditions which manifested the death of classical art.
The specific nature of fundamental principles of culturological analysis as avant-garde movement, in general, and futurism, in particular is indicated in this study. The importance of biographical method (biographism) is proved; it is claimed that the method is one of the essential principles of culturological analysis with complicated inner structure, one of which elements is personalization. The process of personalization development as an object of theoretical analysis is recreated. The importance of ‘personalised history of futurism’ for objective evaluation of those personalities who shaped and developed this artistic trend is proved.
