Sacred Art in Painting by Nafaa Teachers of 1980s-1990s Period

In the article an influence of sacred art on Ukrainian painting of the late twentieth century, as exemplified by works of NAFAA teachers, was studied. In the professional literature, an idea was established that Ukrainian art, including painting, in the late twentieth century is closely connected with popular art and folklore, sometimes it is also about the influences of fine arts of previous epochs. Herewith, the influence of sacred art on the formation of a new art is mentioned only cursorily or its significance is completely neutralized. The goal of the work was, first of all, to determine the influence of sacred art on the creation of Kyiv painters in the late twentieth century. To achieve the targeted goal the works of painters, who were representatives of different generations and different stylistic trends, were reviewed and formally analyzed. The pieces of art presented in the work give grounds to state that the influence of sacred art on the formation of Kyiv painting is significantly underestimated. Even a cursory overview of the works suggests that sacred art responded not only narratively. Artists examined and actively used icon-painting and composition building, turned to specific recognizable images and combined them with modern themes. In the study, a special attention is paid to M.A. Storozhenko, the founder of the Department of Sacred Painting, who was not only a prominent artist, but also a teacher, and he managed to educate a number of artists who continue the work of the mentor, teaching sacred painting to a new generation of artists.