Hoonete kaunistamine komi maapiirkondades 19. sajandist tänapäevani

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the aesthetic dimension of Komi rural archi tecture through the last couple of centuries. It focuses primarily on con temporary developments and the role of the local community in shaping shared ideas of house design. Over the last few decades, building dec oration has developed strongly in the Komi countryside. This dynamic change makes the topic of exterior design intriguing enough for closer examination.

The research involves firstly an overview of ethnographic descriptions of the Komi rural architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries. The authors of the era published their ethnographic notes in travel reports, popular descriptions of the region, and even in the form of fiction. Secondly, I explore how the professional ethnographers of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries depicted Komi rural dwellings in scholarly literature. The most important contribution of this study is based on my ethnographic field experience from recent decades, as I visited the region annually from 1996 until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results of my ethnographic investigations indicate that historically rural Komi have not paid close attention to decorating their houses. However, one must recognise exceptions from this overall development, such as some examples of outstanding house decoration that originated in the 19th century. Contemporary ethnographic evidence confirms that the Komi think through the aesthetic choices when decorating their buildings and intend to remain in concord with modern design ideas circulating inside a
community. However, particular space for individual choice and improvisation also remains available.

As a result of my analysis, the aesthetic design of Komi rural buildings depends on the economic situation, community standards, and individual selection. These circumstances and influences function in combination, with most dominant among them being the culturally recognised requirements and people’s desire to follow and conform to the community trends. However, when observing the overall mode of contemporary house design among the Komi, one can easily observe that individual preference plays a significant role in architectural decision-making despite the fact that the Komi prefer to explain their design decisions as primarily depending on community preference.

Keywords: Komi, village, dwelling, architecture, ethnograph