IMAGES OF REPRESENTATION AND IMAGINATION IN COMPOSITIONAL SPACE

Abstract

The article addresses the pressing issue of activating students’ creative potential in the process of shaping compositional space within contemporary Chinese art education. The study emphasizes that, despite the existence of well-developed composition teaching methodologies, the formation of mental imagery and imagination among students often remains insufficiently systematic and is not fully integrated into the core educational content. The authors highlight that traditional approaches to teaching composition are primarily focused on technical reproduction of forms, whereas the development of students’ internal imaginative world – central to creative imagination – requires deliberate pedagogical support. The paper substantiates the necessity of purposefully cultivating mental imagery and imagination as a key factor stimulating students’ creative engagement in the visual arts process. The theoretical foundation of this approach rests on the psycho-pedagogical nature of artistic thinking, wherein mental imagery and imagination serve as the basis for compositional synthesis, enabling both deeper aesthetic perception and originality in artistic expression. The authors conclude that the methodological framework for teaching composition in Chinese art institutions should incorporate specially designed exercises aimed at developing visual thinking and imagination. Such an approach would not only enhance the artistic quality of students’ work but also lay the groundwork for a scientifically grounded art education system that integrates aesthetic, cognitive, and creative dimensions of personal development.