ILLUSTRATED BOOKS IN UKRAINIAN CULTURAL SPACE: BETWEEN TRADITION AND MODERNITY (BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE AUTHOR'S DESIGN FOR IVAN FRANKO'S WORK)

Abstract

The article examines the illustrated children's book as a communicative object in the contemporary Ukrainian cultural space. Special attention is paid to the interaction of traditional visual culture (decorative motifs, folklore symbolism, national style) with the stylistic and technological features of modern graphic design. The role of book illustration in preserving cultural heritage, forming national identity, and shaping the aesthetic tastes of young audiences is analyzed. An analysis of the author's design of Ivan Franko's book "The Fox-Dyed" is carried out as an example of a modern artistic interpretation of a literary work through the language of visual images, which are intended not only for a child audience. The research relies on a comparison of several editions of this work, using culturological and practical-analytical approaches. It is shown how traditional images (forest animals, archaic patterns, ethnic coloring) can be adapted to modern visual language through stylization, simplification of forms, rhythmization of compositional structure, and the use of modern fonts. The results of the work confirm that the illustrated book performs not only an aesthetic but also a cultural-missionary function, retransmitting meanings between generations in time and space. The author's project is presented as an example of a meaningful combination of traditions and innovative design strategies that meet modern requirements for children's book publishing.