FEMALE IMAGES IN MONUMENTS AND MONUMENTAL SCUPTURE OF THE CITY OF KYIV: A GENDER GEOGRAPHY PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Background. The article addresses the issue of gender (dis)balance in the monumental sculpture of the city of Kyiv. We consider monumental sculpture – which combines compositions of both memorial and entertaining art – to be part of urban symbolic space, representing and accentuating in public places key political and social values, identities, and markers of societal development. For that reason, not only researchers from the field of arts and urban studies, but also sociologists, historians and human (including gender) geographers pay ever greater attention to the study of monuments and more generally urban monumental sculpture. The goal of the present work was to analyze the degree of women's images being represented in the monumental sculpture of the city of Kyiv. More specific tasks included an overview of similar research done in other countries of Europe and beyond; addressing both quantitative and qualitative aspects of how women are represented in the monumental sculpture of the city of Kyiv; looking into the spatial distribution of monuments and sculpture with female images within the city (by administrative districts); comparison of the city of Kyiv to other capitals and large cities abroad; analysis of historical-geographic factors impacting the Ukraine's memorial space evolution and representation in the monuments of the city of Kyiv.

Methods. This work is a case-study with the elements of basic statistical, comparative, and interpretative analіsis. Data sources include reference guides and tourist maps.

Results. In terms of quantitative balance between female and male images in the monumental sculpture (41 to 360), the city of Kyiv falls behind a number of large cities in several leading countries of the world. In particular, there is a small number of monuments representing real historical figures of women – only 17%. Chronologically, there was a significant increase in the number of female images in monumental sculpture installed after Ukraine gained independence. Unlike in many cities of Europe, the are only rare cases of nude female sculpture. There is a strong tendency to use feminine figures to represent allegorical images of Ukraine, its statehood and people's history. Territorially, Shevchenkivskyi and Pecherskyi districts have the largest concentration of monuments to women.

Conclusions. Modest quantitative balance between female and male figures in the monumental sculpture of the city of Kyiv suggest underrepresentation of women in the Kyiv's memorial space, hence insufficient recognition of women's contribution to the social, political and artistic domains in Ukraine. At the same time, feminine personification of Ukraine's statehood and history makes the Ukrainian memorial space differ from that of the Soviet-era and may be considered a positive example of gender values. Increasing number of monuments to women and female images in the urban monumental sculpture of the city of Kyiv suggests there is a growing recognition of women's social and political role in collective historical memory of independent Ukraine. Spatial analysis reveals uneven distribution of female figures in the monumental sculpture of the city.