"The Spirit of Place" in the Landscapes of Xinjiang: Historical and Cultural Preconditions for the Formation of the Western Region Painting School
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The subject of the research is the phenomenon of "spirit of place" (locus / genius loci) in the landscape painting of Xinjiang and the historical and cultural prerequisites for the formation of the regional School of Painting in the style of the Western region. The aim of the work is to identify how the interaction of diverse cultural codes has led to the establishment of a unique and continuously evolving visual system. The analysis considers the specifics of artistic and creative interpretations of the landscape by representatives of this school: from symbolic readings of natural forms to plastic interpretations of cultural and historical space. Special attention is paid to the synthesis of aesthetic norms and techniques derived from folk art, philosophical and religious teachings, as well as other artistic centers, including the Russian-Soviet artistic tradition, and the mechanisms of transmission of visual motifs that have contributed to the layered nature of the visual language. Cultural-historical and iconographic methods, as well as a comparative approach, were employed to compare traditional and modernized interpretations of the landscape. A semiotic analysis of the symbolism of natural and cultural elements was conducted, allowing for the characterization of the stable imagery system of the region. The complex approach revealed how the historical and cultural dynamics of the region have been embedded in stable artistic practices and formed a recognizable stylistic identity for the school. The scientific novelty lies in the identification of stable visual codes that reflect the specifics of spatial perception in the culture of Xinjiang and in the analysis of their evolution within the establishment of the local artistic school. For the first time, key markers of the "spirit of place" in the landscape painting of the region have been systematized—from symbolic motifs to plastic techniques that capture the features of the landscape and the ethnocultural context. The main results demonstrate that regional identity in painting was embodied through synthesis: on one hand, through reliance on a rich color palette and decorative techniques of folk art, and on the other hand, through the appropriation of academic and traditionally Chinese traditions. This synthesis has allowed for the formation of a recognizable artistic language of the Xinjiang school, in which local imagery and intercultural artistic strategies are organically combined.
Source: Человек и культура
Author: Tianchi Liu
Institution: Tajik Agrarian University Shirinsho Shotemur
Language: English
Subfield: Museology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204701546