UKRAINIAN MURALS AS AN APPLIED SOCIAL AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY: A TOOL FOR DECOLONIZATION AND GEOBRANDING
Keywords:
decolonial discourse, cultural heritage, street art, image of the city, social communications
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to identify the specifics of murals as a tool of decolonization and geobranding of Ukraine within the framework of applied social and communication technology.A feature of the study of murals is that the research offers an unconventional approach to this type of street art, which is usually studied within the framework of art and culture. A feature of the study of murals is that the research offers an unconventional view of this type of street art, which is usually studied in the context of art and culture. The methods used in the study are general scientific (analysis of literary sources; method of comparative analysis and description of study results) and specific scientific methods (qualitative content analysis). The mural has been explored as a tool for promoting decolonial discourse, possessing several key characteristics, which make it an effective applied socio-communication technology, including following ones: accessibility and publicity, visualization and symbolism, narrative and reinterpretation of space, dialogism and reactivity, durability and sustainability. Among the main functions of murals in the Ukrainian industrial space the following are identified: creating visual narratives, affirming Ukrainian identity, educating a new representative of a conscious Ukrainian, preserving cultural heritage, etc.
References
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a. Pysanka, H. V. Davydova, S. V. (2018). Muraly u suchasnomu mystetstvi i zhytti suspilstva [Murals in contemporary art and social life.]. Sotsialna ta zhyttieva praktyka v strukturi profesiinoi pidhotovky: teoriia i praktyka : zbirnyk tez Vseukrainskoi naukovo-praktychnoi kon- ferentsii, (17 travnia 2018 roku, m. Zaporizhzhia) / za zah. red. V. V. Nechyporenko. Zaporizhzhia : Vydavnytstvo Khortytskoi natsionalnoi akademii, 192–193. Retrieved from: https://khnnra.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Gupalo-YU.S.Tendentsiyi-vizualnogo-sproshhen-nya.pdf [in Ukrainian].
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c. Rybka, N.M. (2023). Mifotvorchist ta propahanda pid chas viiny: Perspektyvnist doslidzhen [Mythmaking and Propaganda during War: Prospects for Research.]. Kontsepty sotsiokulturnoi transformatsii suchasnoho suspilstva : materialy V Mizhnarodnoi konfer- entsii zdobuvachiv vyshchoi osvity i molodykh uchenykh (Odesa, 25-26 travnia 2023 r.) Odesa: PNPU imeni K. D. Ushynskoho, 99-102. Retrieved from: http://dspace.pdpu.edu.ua/bitstream/123456789/17570/1/ Rybka%20N.%20M.%20pdf [in Ukrainian].
13. Shemenova, Yu.V. (2021). Muraly Ukrainy u svitovomu strit-arti: formotvorennia, plas- tychne modeliuvannia, khudozhno obrazni osoblyvosti [Murals of Ukraine in world street art: formation, plastic modeling, artistic and figurative features]: dys. ... doktora filosof : 023. Kyiv: Natsionalna akademiia kerivnykh kadriv kultury i mystetstv. Retrieved from: https://nakkkim.edu.ua/images/Nauka/dysertatsii/Dysertatsiia_YuV_Shemenovoi.pdf [in Ukrainian].
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2. Chernets, M. O. (2017). Kulturna stolytsia u konteksti rozvytku natsionalnoho brendu (na prykladi yevropeiskoho dosvidu) [Capital of Culture in the Context of Nation Brand Development (based on European experience)]: dys. … kandydata kulturolohii. 26.00.01. Kyiv : Natsionalna akademiia kerivnykh kadriv kultury i mystetstv. Retrieved from: https://elib.nakkkim.edu.ua/handle/123456789/2217 [in Ukrainian].
3. Havrylash, I.S. (2018). Mural-art u konteksti masovoi kultury ХХІ stolittia [Mural art in the context of the mass culture of the 21st century]. Pytannia kulturolohii, 34, 133–142 [in Ukrainian].
4. Honcharenko, M. M., Karaulna, N. V., Atashkade, R. V. (2024). Spetsyfika funtsionuvannia sotsialnoi mifolohii v konteksti vyklykiv rosiisko-ukrainskoi viiny. [The specifics of social mythology functioning in the con- text of challenges of the Russian-Ukrainian war]. Aktualni problemy filosofii ta sotsiolohii, 51, 38–43. Retrieved from: http://apfs.nuoua.od.ua/archive/51_2024/9.pdf [in Ukrainian].
a. Hrafiti «Chas zmin» (2016) [Graffiti “Time for Change”]. Retrieved from: https://surli.cc/jewlzb [in Ukrainian].
b. Hundorova, T. (2024). Tranzytna kultura i postkolonialna travma [Transit culture and post- colonial trauma]. Kyiv: Viola [in Ukrainian].
5. Klopov, I.O. (2024). Rol IT u formuvanni tsyfrovoho suverenitetu: teoretychnyi kontekst dekolonizatsii [The role of IT in shaping digital sovereignty: a theoretical context of decolonization.]. Postkolonialnyi pidkhid do natsiieidentyfikatsiinoho dyskursu v synerhii tsaryn: monohrafiia / za zah. red. V.A. Kovpak. Odesa: Vydvnychyi dim «Helvetyka». 142–177. Retrieved from: https://dspace.znu.edu.ua/jspui/bitstream/12345/26037/1/0062560.pdf [in Ukrainian].
6. Kolesnyk, I. (2024). Antykolonializm. Postkolonializm. Ukraina (metodolohichnyi esei) [Anticolonialism. Postcolonialism. Ukraine (methodological essay)]. Ukrainskyi istorychnyi zhurnal, 4, 173–192. Retrieved from: https://nasu-periodicals.org.ua/index.php/uhj/article/view/7641 [in Ukrainian].
7. Kolisnyk, O.V., Ponomarova, N.S. (2019). Muraly yak zasib sotsialnykh komunikatsii. Porivniannia svitovoho dosvidu [Murals as a means of social communication. Comparison of world experience]. Art and Design, 2 (06), 62–73.
8. Kovpak, V.A., Lebid, N.M. (2024). Sotsiokomunikatsiini zasoby usunennia imperskykh naratyviv v umovakh viiny (na prykladi ukrainskoi dokumentalistyky) [Social communication means of eliminating imperial narratives in the conditions of war (on the example of ukrainian documentaries)]. Vcheni zapysky Tavriiskoho natsionalnoho universytetu imeni V.I.Vernadskoho. Seriia: Filolohiia. Zhurnalistyka», 35 (74), 157–167. Retrieved from: https://philol.vernadskyjournals.in.ua/journals/2024/5_2024/part_2/27.pdf [in Ukrainian].
9. Masenko, V. (2023). Muraly yak reaktsiia na viinu ziavliaiutsia v Ukraini ta za kordonom. Yak tse vplyvaie na miskyi prostir [Murals as a reaction to the war appear in Ukraine and abroad. How does this affect urban space?]. The Village. Retrieved from: https://www.village.com.ua/village/city/public-space/337689-murali-yak-reaktsiya-na-viynu-z-yavlyayutsya-v-ukrayini-ta-za-kordonom-yak-tse-vplivae-na-miskiy-prostir [in Ukrainian].
10. Mnozhynska, R.V., Bardachenko, I.V. (2025). Mural yak vyd suchasnoho mystetstva [Mural as a form of contemporary art]. Svit naukovykh doslidzhen: materialy: Mizhnarodnoi multydystsyplinarnoi naukovoi internet-konferentsii (m. Ternopil, Ukraina, m. Opole, Polshcha, 28-29 travnia 2025 r.) / za red. : O. Patriak ta in. HO “Naukova spilnota”, WSZIA w Opolu. Ternopil : FO- P Shpak V.B., 41, 126–128. Retrieved from: https:// www.economy-confer.com.ua/full-article/6266/ [in Ukrainian].
11. Moroz, O.V. Herasymchuk, V.V., Bondarenko, A.O. (2020). Komunikatsiinyi instrumen- tarii u formuvanni brendu mista [Communication tools in shaping the city brand]. Ckhidna Yevropa: ekonomika, biznes ta upravlinnia, 3(26), 108–113. Retrieved from: http://srd.pdaba.edu.ua:8080/bitstream/123456789/ 5080/1/Moroz.pdf [in Ukrainian].
12. Mural «Chas zmin» [Mural “Time for change”]. Retrieved from: https://funtime.com.ua/art-and-culture/chas-zmin [in Ukrainian].
a. Pysanka, H. V. Davydova, S. V. (2018). Muraly u suchasnomu mystetstvi i zhytti suspilstva [Murals in contemporary art and social life.]. Sotsialna ta zhyttieva praktyka v strukturi profesiinoi pidhotovky: teoriia i praktyka : zbirnyk tez Vseukrainskoi naukovo-praktychnoi kon- ferentsii, (17 travnia 2018 roku, m. Zaporizhzhia) / za zah. red. V. V. Nechyporenko. Zaporizhzhia : Vydavnytstvo Khortytskoi natsionalnoi akademii, 192–193. Retrieved from: https://khnnra.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Gupalo-YU.S.Tendentsiyi-vizualnogo-sproshhen-nya.pdf [in Ukrainian].
b. Riabchuk, M. (2016). Dekomunizatsiia chy dekolonizatsiia? Shcho pokazaly politychni dyskusii z pryvodu «dekomunizatsiinykh» zakoniv? [Decommunization or Decolonization? What did the debate on the ‘decommunization’ laws revealed?] Naukovi zapysky Instytutu poli- tychnykh i etnonatsionalnykh doslidzhen im. I. F. Kurasa NAN Ukrainy, 2, 104–117. Retrieved from: https://ipiend.gov.ua/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/riabchuk_dekomunizatsiia.pdf [in Ukrainian].
c. Rybka, N.M. (2023). Mifotvorchist ta propahanda pid chas viiny: Perspektyvnist doslidzhen [Mythmaking and Propaganda during War: Prospects for Research.]. Kontsepty sotsiokulturnoi transformatsii suchasnoho suspilstva : materialy V Mizhnarodnoi konfer- entsii zdobuvachiv vyshchoi osvity i molodykh uchenykh (Odesa, 25-26 travnia 2023 r.) Odesa: PNPU imeni K. D. Ushynskoho, 99-102. Retrieved from: http://dspace.pdpu.edu.ua/bitstream/123456789/17570/1/ Rybka%20N.%20M.%20pdf [in Ukrainian].
13. Shemenova, Yu.V. (2021). Muraly Ukrainy u svitovomu strit-arti: formotvorennia, plas- tychne modeliuvannia, khudozhno obrazni osoblyvosti [Murals of Ukraine in world street art: formation, plastic modeling, artistic and figurative features]: dys. ... doktora filosof : 023. Kyiv: Natsionalna akademiia kerivnykh kadriv kultury i mystetstv. Retrieved from: https://nakkkim.edu.ua/images/Nauka/dysertatsii/Dysertatsiia_YuV_Shemenovoi.pdf [in Ukrainian].
14. Svynarenko, N.O. (2023). Suchasna rosiiska imperska propahanda: zghubnyi vplyv dlia sohodennia ukraintsiv [Modern Russian imperial propaganda: a detrimental influence on present-day Ukrainians]. Development trends in social science in the era of digitalization : Scientific monograph. Baltija Publishing, 278–302.
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Published
2025-10-30
How to Cite
But, K., Kovpak, V., & Lebid, N. (2025). UKRAINIAN MURALS AS AN APPLIED SOCIAL AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY: A TOOL FOR DECOLONIZATION AND GEOBRANDING. Scientific Journal of Polonia University, (71), 34-47. Retrieved from http://pnap.ap.edu.pl/index.php/pnap/article/view/1517
Section
LANGUAGE, CULTURE, COMMUNICATION
