Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University is the largest research and art center of the Carpathian region. The Department of Design and Art Theory works on implementation of research potential and solution of current issues of national culture and art. As of today, an important task of the Department in scientific context is to promote national peculiarities and spiritual values of Ukrainian art and design, study their key issues, focus scientific research on the needs of contemporary creative practices.
Department’s staff comprises prominent scholars and artists actively working and regularly publishing their research papers in Ukrainian and foreign monographs and professional journals. Among them, there are two Doctors of Arts, Professors (Oleg Chuyko, Iryna Dundiak); Honored Art Worker of Ukraine, Professor (Bohdan Hubal); 14 Candidates (PhDs) of Arts, Associate Professors and a Candidate (PhD) of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor.
At the University, the Department of Design and Art Theory has been training academic personnel in the field of Culture and Art via a postgraduate program since 1998. From 2005 to 2016, the department had a postgraduate program in three specialties: Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art and Theory and History of Culture; since 2016 – specialty 023 – Fine Art, Decorative Art, Restoration, in addition, in 2014, a doctoral program was opened. At present, Associate Professors of the Department of Design and Art Theory Iryna Chmelyk and Lesia Semchuk are doctoral students at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University in the specialty 023 – Fine Art, Decorative Art, Restoration. Associate Professor of the Department of Fine, Decorative and Applied Art and Restoration Nadiia Babii has successfully completed doctoral studies and is preparing to defend her doctoral thesis.
In 2013, the Department staff began working on a group research: Western Ukrainian Design: from Art Deco to Deconstructivism. Within the framework of this work, there was a need to systematize and prepare a bibliographic index of works by researchers of the Department of Design and Art Theory, which was published in 2016. Thematically, it consists of general theoretical provisions and papers devoted to the peculiarities of environment design, small architectural forms, design of clothing and accessories, folk dress of the Hutsul region and Pokuttia. Many works deal with the issues of history and theory of Ukrainian professional and folk art. Moreover, a group monograph Western Ukrainian Design: from Art Deco to Deconstructivism is being prepared.
In accordance with the plan of training highly qualified staff and as part of the study Western Ukrainian Design: from Art Deco to Deconstructivism, the following researchers defended their PhD (Candidate) theses: Uliana Melnyk (2015), Kateryna Gerlakh (2015), Iryna Strebkova (2015), Kateryna Volik (2015), Roman Goshovsky (2015), Halyna Losyk (2016), Diana Bobiak (2017), Vita Lototska (2017) and Iryna Maksymliuk (2018).
In 2008, the Dissertation (Theses) Board K 20.051.08 was opened at the Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University with the right to accept for consideration and hold thesis defenses for the degree of Candidate of Art History (PhD in Art History) in the specialties 26.00.01 – Theory and History of Culture, 17.00.06 – Decorative and Applied Arts. This proved to be an important stage of the art history school establishment in Pre-Carpathian region. The Specialized Board consists of leading scholars of the region, art historians and cultural studies scholars. Mykhailo Stankevych, Head of the Department of Design and Art Theory, Doctor of Art History, Professor, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine, was the organizer and chairman of the Dissertation Board since its opening and until his untimely death. Doctor of Art History, Professor Oleg Chuyko has been the Academic Secretary of the Dissertation Board for five terms (2008-2021). During the work of the Dissertation Board K 20.051.08, 80 PhD (Candidate) theses on the above mentioned specialties have been defended.
At different periods of time such prominent Ukrainian scholars as Doctor of Art History, Professor Mykhailo Selivachov (Kyiv) and Doctor of Art History, Senior Researcher Olena Nykorak (Lviv) delivered lectures, conducted workshops and supervised Master’s and PhD theses at the Department of Design and Art Theory.
Today the Department comprises leading scientists in the field of art and design theory, its teachers advise and supervise PhD theses, are members of editorial boards of scientific journals. Besides, they permanently take part in the work of Specialized Dissertation Boards as Board members and opponents and also prepare reviews of theses abstracts. International and national Ukrainian scientific conferences, regional scientific and practical seminars and round tables are regularly held at the Department of Design and Art Theory.
Research work of the Department of Design and Art Theory is aimed at intensifying and improving the quality of culturological and art history research in the western region of Ukraine and ensures training of highly qualified specialists.
Bibliographical index of the Department
More about Research Work of the Department qr-code