Empty Space Concept in a Modern Chinese Poster as a Sign of Identity

Abstract

The purpose of the work is to reveal and substantiate the concept of empty space in modern Chinese posters. The research is aimed at analysing the semantics and aesthetics of empty space in the structure of visual communication and revealing its role in the formation of modern visual forms in the context of preserving national identity and preserving unique aspects of Chinese culture. The research methodology involves the use of general scientific and special methods. A comparative-historical analysis was used to understand the development of traditional Chinese art and its influence on modern design; methods of scientific analysis and synthesis in the process of examining scientific sources; methods of art criticism and content analysis during the study of empirical material and establishing the principles of using empty space in modern posters. The scientific novelty of the work consists in revealing the artistic and philosophical basis of the creation of a modern composition in a Chinese poster. Formal and compositional and figurative means and their role in the formation of modern posters in China are traced and specified. The concept of empty space is substantiated and its role in modern visual forms in the context of establishing national identity and preserving unique aspects of Chinese culture is revealed. Conclusions. It was revealed that today in the context of globalisation trends, the issue of finding and preserving not only traditional elements and styles, but also aesthetic and philosophical approaches formed over several millennia of the country's cultural development, arises in the project activities of Chinese graphic designers. Among such approaches is the special attitude of the artist to the free space of the sheet. Its nature, its presence or absence significantly affects the perception of a graphic work, because it works on an equal footing with visual-figurative elements in conveying a message – it organises them, emphasises attention, arranges them. Accordingly, the graphic composition of the Chinese art poster today is a field of complex interaction of its visible and invisible elements. Visualisation of the content of the message, compositional laws and established visual-communicative design trends that form the external components of the poster organically work with their internal content. This content turns out to be not only aesthetically justified, but also acquires its own spiritual and aesthetic content.