Василь Дутка в культурно-мистецькому просторі сьогодення

Vasyl Dutka in the Contemporary Cultural and Artistic Space. The article examines the artistic activity of Vasyl Yakovych Dutka — Honored Artist of Ukraine, member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, and Associate Professor at the Department of Fine Arts and Academic Disciplines of the Kosiv State Institute of Decorative Arts. The year 2025 marks a significant milestone for the artist and educator, as Vasyl Dutka celebrates his 60th anniversary, accompanied by substantial creative achievements. For over three decades since graduating from the Lviv State Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts, Dutka has consistently advanced along his artistic trajectory. He represents both the Kosiv State Institute of Decorative Arts and the Kosiv Regional Organization of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine with distinction within the national and international art arenas. The aim of this study is to analyze the artistic oeuvre of contemporary Ukrainian artist Vasyl Dutka as an important component of the modern cultural and artistic process. The article outlines the principal directions of Dutka’s creative practice (painting, sculpture, and graphic art), identifies the thematic dominants of his work, reviews his long-term pedagogical activity, and examines his participation in the cultural life of Ukraine, as well as his notable contribution to the development of Polish–Ukrainian cultural relations. Particular attention is paid to his artistic collaboration and achievements in fostering cultural exchange between Poland and Ukraine, specifically those associated with Jan-Ignacy Paderewski, the renowned Polish composer of Ukrainian descent. The research methodology relies on systemic analysis, methods of systematization and generalization, and art-historical analysis. The article traces Dutka’s involvement in international art projects and national exhibitions, as well as his organization of numerous solo exhibitions, which testify to his dynamic exhibition activity. Dutka continues to work actively as a painter, depicting the life, everyday practices, and distinctive cultural identity of the Hutsul community. His large-scale canvases, marked by expressiveness and decorativeness, have become a recognizable artistic signature at solo exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad (Poland, France, Greece, the United Kingdom). Dutka’s sculptural oeuvre includes monuments, multi-figure compositions, sculptural busts, and memorial plaques with bas-reliefs dedicated to prominent figures of Ukrainian culture. Throughout his artistic and pedagogical career, Vasyl Dutka has produced several series of graphic works executed in diverse techniques. The article presents his latest series of graphic pieces, «Our Students — Defenders of Ukraine.» The scholarly novelty of the research lies in its comprehensive presentation of Dutka’s multifaceted artistic legacy and in the identification of his role within the contemporary cultural and artistic space. Future research prospects include systematic analysis of his sculptural works.