Font and calligraphy in works of fine arts and decorative and applied arts neopagan orientation late XX - early XXI centuries: semiotic and functional aspects

Calligraphy as a cultural phenomenon originates in ancient times. The aesthetic aspect of the written text is of high value in the culture of the East and the West. Russian culture has its own traditions and achievements in the field of calligraphy. The "charter" is the most ancient manuscript form of the Cyrillic script. On its basis later there are "semicharter", cursive and ligature. Currently, the use of fonts based on these handwritten forms continues. This phenomenon causes a steady interest in the scientific world and is investigated by specialists, but its connection with the artistic creativity of religious, mythological subjects (including the neopagan) is practically not worked out. "Neo-pagan orientation" is a complex of relatively stable themes, chapter, motifs and images in the field of artistic creativity closely associated with the ideology and cult-ritual practice of modern Russian paganism. Significant place in the works of this orientation is occupied by inscriptions and texts presented on jewelry and cult sculpture (idols), in graphics and painting. These works were performed by modern Russian authors. This is the object and the main source of this study. The analysis allows us to speak about the undeniable predominance of Cyrillic script. The main function of the inscriptions is informative. Glagolitic script did not receive distribution in art. Used a variety of fonts (the most common are decorative fonts). The most popular among authors are handwritings, imitating historical forms: "charter", "semicharter" and ligature. Cyrillic script imitating Scandinavian runic writing is widely distributed. The reason for this is the popularity of the ideas of "northern paganism", the syncretism of views, the appeal to the archaic. Velesovitsa (the letter form of the Veles Book) and karuna (the "figurative" sacral letter of the Slavonic-Aryan Vedas) are original fonts that emphasize belonging to the Slavonic neopaganism. The scope of these fonts is limited due to the sacred nature of the letter and the undesirability of its ubiquitous use. As examples, the works of A. Filimonov and V. Khrustalev (idols of the Slavic gods), N. Genki-na and N. Speransky, (painting), V. Korolkov (book illustration), M. Kuleshov and I. Cherkasov (graphics), jewelry products of the workshop "Gardarika", etc. The author draws special attention to the works of the artist M. Sukharev. In his works a key position is taken by cryptography. In these works, in a new angle, the sacred beginning of writing and calligraphy in paganism is revealed. Main conclusions: The use of specific fonts, writing styles emphasizes the ethnic component of the work; Pursued aesthetic goals, based on the idea of storage the standards of beauty in the field of "antiquity", the pagan era; In a number of cases, the calligraphic component of the work is connected with sacral representations.

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