Modern Ukrainian art: European identity or separateness

The purpose of the article is to identify the features of Ukrainian modernism as a unique socio-cultural phenomenon. The research methodology is based on a systematic approach to the study of the problem and includes synchronous and diachronic methods of scientific knowledge, as well as analysis, comparison, generalisation, and extrapolation. The scientific novelty lies in the attempt to find historical parallels between the events of the early 20th century, which influenced the figurative rethinking of reality in art, and postmodern trends of today. Conclusions. Considering modernism in the Ukrainian socio-cultural space, it was found that art was not only characterised by keeping up with European times in gaining experimental experience, but also by a philosophical basis aimed at self-identification. Thus, for many Ukrainian artists, a complete break with traditional art became impossible, and the search for the answer to the question "who we are" became the reason for the integration of centuries-old ethnic codes into the art space of the modern era. Thus, the phenomenon of modernism in Ukrainian culture is primarily associated with the reflection of the historical and cultural paradigm and the search for autochthonous meanings.