Abstract

Contemporary culture is dominated by visual images, which leads to ‘oculocentrism’ and ‘clip consciousness’. Visual culture is a broad, interdisciplinary field of study. The problem of defining it remains relevant due to the insufficient clarification of the concept of ‘visual’, the lack of a clear distinction from related phenomena and established terminology.The purpose of the study is to explicate the problem of defining visual culture in the history of cultural studies.The historical-comparative and systematic approaches are applied to consider the problem in terminological, historical, theoretical and methodological aspects.The results of the study: it is found that the concept of ‘visual culture’ is as broad as possible, covering artistic works, visual media, everyday practices and images. The evolution of its research field in five stages is characterized: from implicit visual studies of antiquity, through the propedeutic stage to theoretical conceptualization, structuralist orientation and the ‘pictorial’ / ‘iconic turn’. The interdisciplinary nature of visual culture is highlighted. It is noted that visual culture is faced with a lack of methodological clarity and blurred subject matter. The controversy over its disciplinary status and dependence on a limited number of theorists are highlighted.The theoretical significance of the study lies in the explication and systematization of the problem of defining visual culture, clarifying its periodization, which contributes to the understanding of its dynamic nature and the expansion of the categorical apparatus of cultural studies. The practical significance of the study is that understanding the evolution of visual culture allows us to better navigate the oversaturated visual environment, critically reflect on its role in socio-cultural processes and its impact on world perception.The scientific novelty lies in the systematic explication of the problem of defining visual culture through the prism of its historical evolution and the substantiation of five stages of the formation of this field.Prospects for further research include the development of the concept of ‘visual’, the involvement of modern scientific discoveries in the field of vision and the development of research taking into account local languages and traditions.