The ornaments speaking of peace

 (On modern symbolism in applied arts of the Circassians on example of decorative works of Yury Stash).

The last decades, the modern applied arts of Circassians develop to some extent in different directions: gold embroidery, mat weaving, metal work, jewelry, pottery and blacksmithing. Contemporary masters adhere to folk traditions, but at the same time they look for new facets and approaches, new ways of expression. Ones sharpen skills of their ancestors, while others use traditions to create innovative genres, themes and techniques.
One of such prominent contemporary Circassian artists is the painter and designer Yury Stash, deserved worker of culture of Adygeya, State Prize laureate of the Republic of Adygeya and winner of the premium medal of peace from the Social Public Organization «League of Peace» in the republic (2005). This is the first national Circassian fashion designer who has created the unique collection of dozens of author's suits and dresses of applied arts. Yury Stash’s unique works were demonstrated not only at home in Maikop, but in Moscow, in many other cities of Russia, and also in Syria, Jordan, Turkey, USA. His main collection is exhibited at the Caucasus North Filial of the State Museum of Oriental art in Maikop (the Republic of Adygeya). In September 2016, the master celebrates his 85-th anniversary.
The creative works of Yury Stash include author’s dress-symbols, female suits and male Circassian coats, thematic decorative art objects: panels, pyramids, installations, etc. All his works combine traditional and innovative motifs, unit together myths and reality, reflect the Circassian ancient epic poetry and the actual social and philosophical themes. Lately, most of his works represent actual social themes and his philosophical views. As Yury Stash noted, he «transmit through the eye of needle the problems on the topic of Peace» (1). The principal techniques used in his works are gold braiding, application, twisting and weaving.
The decorative and applied works of Yury Stash can be divided into two main directions: traditional and ethnic, social and philosophical. However, all of the artist-designer’s dresses-symbols and suits, his art objects «speak» about actual topics and «show» the actuality by simple symbols representing national ornaments, spherical patterns, color contrasts and geometric forms available for perception and understanding of each person. At the same time, if artist’s suits and costumes are partly decorated of Circassian national ornaments which play a role of decorations «speaking», his dresses-symbols and panels resemble as in the «ancient Egyptian papyrus» convoluted and patterned letters reflecting easily and meaningfully an original intent of artist.
The ornaments and symbols have a special place in the works of Yury Stash. Depending on genre and theme, the artist uses the traditional and original Circassian ornaments, often modified by him, and own unique symbols and patterns allowing his work to «speak». According to him, «it’s important for me not only to create my works, but also to teach them to speak» (1). In principle, since the ancient times, a beautiful «decorative picture on the object submitted to its form, material, colour, inseparable with its surface, has been not just decorating, but also speaking: it has introduced in some unfamiliar world, it has shown people and events». (2, p. 15).
The well-known traditional and ethnic works of the artist include traditional Adyghe woman's dress «Sai» (2004), dress-symbol «The Obelisk» (1994), man's Circassian coat «Dedicated to Michael Cherkassky» (2006), man's suits on motives of the Nart epic poetry «Sausyryko» (1997), «Gekatey» (1991), woman’s suits «Adyif» (2012), «Meotian woman», «Horsewoman» (1995), «Tyrgotao» (1989), the costume of Zikh leader «Stahemfañ» (2007), as well as decorative panels «1864» or «The Exodus», «The tamgas of Circassian Mamluks» (2000), «Peace to your house» (1999).
The social and philosophical works of Yury Stash include
- dresses-symbols: «The Green world» «The Tolerance" (2008), «50 years of the United Nations» (1995), «The Republic of Adygeya» (1994), «The Planet of information» (2008), «The Daybreak’s bird» (2005), ««The treasures of Adygeya’s kurgans» (2007), «What wants this crazy world?» (2009), «War and Peace»;
- man's suits «The Red Circassian coat «Victory» or the bird bringing the peace» (1995), costumes «The Nostalgia» (2009-2010), «Pepsi-Cola» (1996), woman's suit «The Modern Caucasus» (2003), «The Melody of the Orient» (2008), ensemble «The White Olympics» including woman's suit «Fisht» (2013), winged dress «Laura» (2013), man's coat «Mamyrzekh» (2013);
- decorative panels: «The Music of the Galaxy» (2000), «Sochi-2014» or « The Past and the present», «The Globalization», panel-triptych «Contrary», panels «SOS», «The Empathy» (2010), series of panels «Venfóns» (2001), and others;
- art-object « The Globe», pyramid «The Interaction of cultures» (1996), etc.
The main themes of artist’s works are tolerance, war and peace, the struggle against the negative challenges, problems of ecology, kindness and beauty, interaction of cultures, history of the Adyghe people, etc. For the more resonant and meaningful representation of these themes, the artist chooses special symbols and patterns whose meaning is clear to the people of all nationalities, religions and ages.
What is the symbolism in the applied work of Yury Stash? What meaning does give the author himself to it? And how does it distinguish of the Circassian traditional symbols?
Speaking of the modern symbolism in the applied art of the artist-designer Yury Stash, it’s important to study such aspects as aesthetic meaning of symbol, its artistic content, strength of the impact on the perception of audience. All of these facets together compose the author’s conception of the prominent Circassian designer. Assuming an ornament or a symbol «cannot be considered as «means of artistic expression», and it represents itself a fairly complex art structure for creation of which there are used different mediums, among which there are color, texture and mathematical elements or rhythm, symmetry, graphical expression of ornamental lines, their elasticity and mobility, flexibility and angularity; plastic in ornaments on relief; and the expressive qualities of used natural motifs» (2, p. 15), so it’s possible to consider each dress or suit of Yury Stash, each his art object as a distinctive, integral and substantial «ornament».
Each expressive «ornament» of this master has its artistic value and represents a system of art motifs, figurative or abstract motifs, which gives the architectonic order of real surface introducing a viewer into the world of image, its spatial, temporal, and spiritual environment (2, p. 31). But anyway, in spite of the creative originality of each artist's work, they all have main visual features of directions of his applied work: traditional and ethnic, social and philosophical.
The symbolism in traditional and ethnic works of Yury Stash
The traditional and ethnic works of Yury Stash adhere to traditional rules and artistic image of the national applied arts of Circassians, whose roots go deep into the centuries. The use of gold embroidery to create ethnic patterns determines a range of the Adyghe ornaments, characteristic for the Circassians since the ancient times. These ornaments include patterns of vegetable and animal styles, geometric figures, cult symbols such as crosses and circles, tribal or family signs or tamgas, etc. Herewith, the artist’s traditional suits and panels are characterized of a checked composition, a strict symmetry, a clear rhythm, straight lines, absence of superfluous relief. The main techniques of these works are gold braiding that is an braiding of drawing pattern on fabric or paper with gold thread and attachment of the ornament to the dress by application. It should be noted that this type of technique is characteristic to Yury Stash’s works and considered as his innovation.
For traditional works of the artist, it should be noted, as the author says himself, the basis of all his works is a national suit, through which he seeks «once again to transmit a profound thought: the people who have lost their culture and traditions, is transformed into the population» (4). In addition to his words, there is a citation from the book of E. N. Studenetskaya «The clothing of the North Caucasus peoples in the XVIII—XX centuries»: «The comfortable and graceful suit, adapted to lifestyle of the Circassians, widely has spread outside the Circassia. They were not only in the highest stage of social development of people, but also the same on samples in the field of everyday life, customs, clothing» (5).
So, it is not surprising that it became so widespread among the North Caucasus nations and formed the basis of Yury Stash’s works that are considered as author's variations of traditional Circassian woman's dresses and man's Circassian coat. This is confirmed by the words of the artist for his traditional and ethnic works. The painter says about your dress «Sai», made of velvet (2004), and the classic Circassian coat the following: «The dress visually elongates the figure and dictates behavior, fluid movements. It’s impossible to jump and dance in it. Each nation has its own culture. And the Circassian coat also dictates to behave strictly, to save slimness» (6).
Meanwhile, as the art expert of the North Caucasus Filial of the State Museum of Oriental art (NCF of SMOA) Fatima Suleymanova points out, Yury Stash present «everywhere an experimental symbiosis of traditional art and new means, myth and reality». And this concern well all of the attributes to his suit – headwear. shields and ichigui or so-called «ponozhia» (clothing elements for legs) (according to terminology of Yury Stash).
Really, even creating a traditional suit, the artist makes it with his author's concept using Circassian ornaments and spontaneously modifies them on his own artistic vision. However, his traditional and ethnic works have common Circassian ornaments, such as:
- Three-leafed figure which could designate a trefoil, combination of three worlds: water, earth, sky; a sacred number «3»;
- Horn style. The Adyghes symbolized the head of sheep, deep, bull with the cult of welfare;
- Cruciform style could designate a symbol of sacred fire, defending from evil spirits; it was interpreted as a keeper of fireplace or as a bird flying;
- Vegetable ornament: this style largely is connected with religious representations of the Adyghes, they considered all fruit trees bringing happiness and also linden, ash, oak and hawthorn; the embroiderers embroider their symbols on such wares which the man can use with the belief in healing of various diseases, incantations, paternoster and evil eyes;
- Figures of more recent origin and less stylized (leaves, seed, pods, «Istanbul flower», star, grapes tendrils or legumes) (8, p. 214);
- The tamga or family sign.
 
There is symbolic to use certain colors by the artist- designer in his dresses and suits: red is the color of blood or family, the color of victory; black is the color of tragedy, pain, suffering. For example, the author's idea of the dress-symbol «The Obelisk» means that «the woman declares, war, grief, tragedy transform her into a stone, into an obelisk» (the definition of Yury Stash).
 
The most known traditional and ethnic panel of the artist is the panel «1864» or «The Exodus». It symbolizes the tragic events of 1864 when tens of thousands of Circassians were forced to leave their homeland and migrate to the exile. The panel was highly appreciated by contemporary Circassians from different countries.

There is not little known by the Circassians of the world the panel «Peace to your house» with the Circassian hearth, a symbol of family and kindness, as well with the words written in Russian and Adyghe languages, and a symbolic figure of «XXI», «the century of tolerance». The panel represents, as Yuri Stash notes, «the hearth that is the center of the universe. And the loss of one color in the rainbow means the loss of rainbow. Also the loss of any nation impoverishes the planet. The humanity is now at this stage. The diversity of peoples enriches the Russia. There is her beauty» (6). Indeed, the Circassians, like many other nations, have still the cult of hearth, the origin of which is accounted for the period of formation of tribal institutions. The Circassians always have connected the cult of hearth with idea of life. The people have recognized the hearth as a sacred place where they have given the sacred oaths and the main family rituals were executed (9, P. 35-37).
The panel «The Tamgas», the theme for which was taken from the book of the Circassian art historian and archaeologist Nurby Lovpache, consists of many family signs enclosed in circles. As Yuri Stash notes, «the circle symbolizes here the bottom of jug. And then, if you think well, the person makes a jug and decorates its bottom with his tamga. The tamga protects. This is the jug for food, for guests, for the goodness. Here it is the goodness!... Maybe these Circassian ornaments provide protection at the time» (1). The Circassians, like other Caucasian peoples, used tamga signs for branding cattle or as an «artist’s signature» (8, p. 215). The scientists ethnographers distinguish the archaic name of tamga – «a sign of God», a wise ornament with its certain sense (8, p. 216).
We can consider as a special group of male coats and female suits in traditional and ethnic direction of the applied arts of Yury Stash all costumes created on the basis of the Nart epic poetry and made in the style of civilizations of Meotians and Zikhs, ancestors of contemporary Circassians. These are woman's suit of Horsewoman, Nart-woman Tyrgatao and her husband Gekatey, the suit «Sausyryko», etc. Its feature primarily consists in its style and materials of which they are made. Military in appearance, they resemble to protective armors, made of various materials: skin (suits of Tyrgatao and Gekatey, suit «Sausyryko»), brocade fabric, fur, velvet. His suits of leather are used in the choreography while it is filled with movement and plasticity.
The woman's dress «Adyif» is created on the basis of the Nart epic poetry, but it’s made of a male hood. And the suit «Sausyryko», made of treated pieces of leather in the form of flakes. We can assume they represent a protective scaly hide of the dragon, which Sausyryko fights and wins in the Nart epic poetry.
The woman's suit «Horsewoman from Gabukai – Nalkuta» which the author dedicated to the 20th anniversary of formation of the Republic of Adygeya and to his small homeland, the village Gabukai, is decorated with modified Circassian traditional ornaments, arrows and a shield with images of sun and bird symbolizing the speed of movement. In this case, probably the symbol of sun on the shield represents the deity protecting their child. And the bird or, rather, the eagle will be a protector.
 
In the world’s culture, the eagle fasten was used and represented the «Lord of the bird’s Kingdom». There is a sacred bird, a symbol of heavenly power, courage and immortality. The hero of ancient myths, legends and tales, the eagle symbolized power and authority, height of spirit and freedom (10, p. 106).
Overall, Yury Stash characterizes «the main idea inherent to all his works as an attempt to encourage people with the means of national culture to peace, goodness and to show only the beauty can save the world from evil» (4).
The symbols in the works of the social and philosophical direction in the applied arts of Yury Stash
In the difference of the traditional and ethnic works, the social and philosophical dress-symbols, suits and art objects of Yury Stash are characterized of a free composition, an asymmetry, a contrast of colors, a semantic contrast, a variety of forms, (from traditional costume to contemporary trends), a volume, different techniques of creating (in most cases, there is an application). However, the dress-symbols «The Green world», «The Tolerance», «50 years of the United Nations», «The Republic of Adygeya», «The Planet of information», «The Daybreak’s bird», «Treasures of the Adygeya’s kurgans», «What wants this crazy world?», «War and peace» - each of them individually symbolizes the philosophical idea of the artist, and of symbols used by him. The patterns and contrasts of colors, sizes, shapes enhance their artistic and semantic meanings.
 
So, as Yury Stash talks himself, the dress-symbol «The Green world» is «at first view an usual national dress. But when the girl raises her arms, she transforms into a green tree. And then she turns her black back to the audience. This means if the people will not stop ruining the environment, the nature will turn back to us» (7). However, as it was noted above, at the Circassians, the symbol of tree denotes happiness, and trees were venerated, and even deified, they have given them a magical power (9). But in general, «the ornaments with the image of trees date back to the ancient era, and they are associated with religious and magical representations, and the universal vegetable symbol in the mythology is the World Tree. It was attributed to many trees supernatural features and skills: ability to frighten off evil spirits, to heal incurably ill people, to bring magical fruit changing the appearance of person, etc.» (3, p. 62). The world tree always has had a wide range of symbolic meanings, namely: «tree of life», «tree of fertility», «heavenly tree» (3, p.70).
 
The dress-symbol «The Tolerance», created, at first, in 1995 and then again in 2008, consists of two parts representing the tricolor Russian flag and the green flag of Adygeya with stars and three crossed arrows, calls to tolerance – the ability to live in peace with other peoples. Yury Stash says about this work: «don't deny other nations cultures, customs, traditions, languages; show curiosity and get rich» (6). Of course, the same combination of two state symbols, the symbolic use of dimensions of two parts of dress and also lettered words in Russian and Adyghe languages («Tolerance» and «Ùý1àãúý») point to two people, able to coexist, supporting and complementing each other.
1.
Original for Adyghe traditional dresses, the dress-symbol «50 years of the United Nations» refers to the so-called «circular» dresses, when it formed with raised hands a circle. At the same time, on the Adyghe woman's dress of sky blue colour, it is inscribed the entire map of the planet with the year of formation of the United Nations (1945) and the year of creation of these work itself (1995). The author connects the philosophy of this dress with the Circassian custom: «when two sides argued and fought among themselves, the woman disbanded her hair and threw her headscarf, then the battle immediately ceased» (the explanation of Yury Stash). The round planet is a symbol of the universe, it conveys perfection and harmony, unity and community, eternity and equality (10, p. 44). This meaning is reinforced by an unusual for a traditional national costume using of sky-blue colour. And the symbol of the clear sky means peace and tranquility, a prosperous life.
The painter represents as a crescent the so-called «winged» dress-symbol of «the Republic of Adygeya», which is based on the state symbol of the Republic of Adygeya - Circassian green flag with stars and arrows and with indication of the year of foundation of the republic (1991). The dress already has become a main symbol of Adygeya.
Bright and expressive «circular» dress-symbol «The Planet of information» is based on the traditional Circassian dress, according to art critic of the North Caucasus Filial of the State Museum of Oriental Art Fatima Suleymanova, should be considered as a modern conceptual author’s dress. Red with applications in the form of names of contemporary medias of Adygeya, Russia and other countries of the world, this dress is a symbol dedicated to all journalists and it is an original expression of gratitude of the artist to representatives of the fourth power. And the red colour symbolizes the blood, the human race.
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One of these extraordinary author’s works of Yury Stash is the winged dress-symbol «The Daybreak’s bird» symbolizing the magical sunrise. The symbol of daybreak is represented by a special pink-variegated coloring of material of the dress and by spread wings of the morning bird or the Phoenix. As a consequence, the symbol of spread wings means a flight, climbing up. In this case, the meaning of bird is similar to the semantic meaning of symbol of eagle in the Bible: «the eagle appears incarnating a divine love, strength and power, youth and spirituality» (10, p. 106). Historically, the sunrise had a great importance for the cult representations of many nations. In the ancient times, there was a ceremony of the meeting of sunrise giving light, new life, prosperity. Caucasian people thought and think the first rays of the sun disperse evil spirits (11, p.35).
 
The dress-symbol «The treasures of Adygeya’s kurgans» is a like the «winged» dress-symbol «The Republic of Adygeya» with its cut. But a headwear, related with its shape and appearance to the Scythian culture, and symmetric application of gold wolfs, Ritons and grails, archaeological findings in the kurgans of Adygeya contribute to reinforce the author's intention. Creating this original work, Yury Stash wanted to express «the Circassian culture and philosophy come to the world». The bright red colour of the dress symbolizes the blood of ancestors.
 
The artist has worked with the collection of suits «The White Olympics» during two years. He dedicated it to the Winter Olympic games of 2014 in Sochi. The white collection consists of three works: female suit of the Horsewoman «Fisht», winged dress «Laura» and a man's suit «Mamyrzekh». The entire collection is made of white and fluffy fur symbolizing, first of all, a snow.
The suit «Fisht», named in honor of the famous snow peak of the Caucasus mountains and the largest stadium of Sochi, represents together with its original headpiece a top of mountain. It is supplemented by a quiver decorated with an image of skates and by a field trumpet announcing cessation of all hostilities and beginning of sport competitions.
The winged dress «Laura» is named as the major Olympic object or the ski-biathlon complex in Sochi. The symbol of wings transmits the meaning of flight over the mountain tops.
The man's suit «Mamyrzekh», which translated from Adyghe language as a «messenger of peace», incarnates, according to the author's idea, an image of traveler or a sage man wandering on the way of the world. Yury Stash expressively calls all countries with this costume before the Olympic games to leave the warpath and to hold the games in peace. He says: «It is known, in the Ancient Greece, they stopped with the beginning of the Olympic games any war; struggles and strife was only sportive, and victories brought medals and joy, but not suffering and death» (6)
The theme of war and peace is revealed by artist Yury Stash with two original works. The dress-symbol «What wants this crazy world?», made of velvet burgundy with the use of gun bands with shells, replies the author's question: «The world wants a war». And the dress-symbol «War and peace» much more expressively and symbolically represents a contrast between two mutually exclusive concepts. It consists of two parts: 1) the «war» where it is on black background a red application: missile, bringing death, plane with a bomb; 2) the «peace» where it is shown on heavenly background doves and earth as symbols of peace. And this is the mankind which must to choose himself!
The artist often uses in his works a symbol of dove with intention to represent peace, tranquility, happiness and prosperity. In the global culture, graceful doves are an ancient symbol used in traditions of many peoples. In the Bible, a dove symbolizes gentleness, purity, trust, simply. And a dove with an olive branch is a symbol of peace (10, p. 109).
In the works of Yury Stash not only women's dresses-symbols are eloquent and expressive but also men's suits. So, man's suit «The red Circassian coat «Victory»» is devoted to the winners of the Great Patriotic war. The author's intention means «Thank to the people who have returned sun to world». The red colour of the suit symbolizes the victory, and wings of bird mean the peace. Thus, we can assume this is the prophetic bird Simurgh of Iranian myths, similar to eagle, which had the ability to heal and was considered as a good symbol (10, p. 106).

The suits «The Nostalgia» and «Pepsi-Cola» symbolize in their manners the past and the present of the artist’s life and have their deep philosophical ideas. The suits «Nostalgia» in red with symbols of the Soviet period are analogous to special uniforms with budenovka and represent the author's nostalgia to the Soviet era. The suit «Pepsi-Cola» is made of packaging material of Pepsi-Cola products and symbolizes the idea of Yury Stash: «Learn how to conquer the world by peaceful means».
Very expressive are ornaments and symbols on decorative panels of Yury Stash. In general, the social and philosophical art objects of the artist-designer are characteristics of a special, often inconsistent and evasive rhythm, zigzag and spherical patterns, no straight lines, relief and flexibility image, a presence of contemporary objects of everyday use (puppets, syringes, cigarettes, pieces of tin and plastic bottles, etc.). The main semantic symbols of social and philosophical panels of the artist are not national ornaments, as in the case of traditional works, but zigzag and spherical motifs, as well as specific figures and shapes (circle, wheel, pictures of animals, words in different languages, including in Adyghe language).
The symbol most frequently using in social and philosophical panels of the painter is a circle. Meanwhile, the form of circle may be deformed, but its meaning, intended by the author, does not change, though «his every circle speaks about something» (1). In general, the circle is characteristic to applied arts of different nations, including the Circassians. Increasingly, it symbolizes sun, unity, perfection, life, talisman. But for Yury Stash, as he notes himself, these are, on the one hand, circles of happiness, success circles, and on the other hand, protection as, for example, on the panel «SOS» incarnating the theme of drug addiction.
 
There is family in the center of the panel, all the dolls are in the circle, and they are surrounded by negative attributes of modern life, such as syringe, tobacco, cigarettes – everything that kills a human life. The top is occupied by the green serpent, a symbol of temptation in this case, it envelops the whole family. One way or another, but the circle represents their isolation, prohibition and serves as a talisman of something that is necessary to hide or obscure (1). The circles on the panel called «The tamgas» have the same sense of protection that is so close to the traditional understanding of the symbol by the Circassians. All represented family signs of different Circassian families are enclosed in circles. However, this use shows, as the painter notes himself, a tribute to the pottery of the Circassians (1).
Another symbol, often used by Yury Stash, is a cartwheel. If we refer to the origins of this symbol, so, as it is noted in «the Encyclopedia of ornamental motifs of the Southeast Asia», a cartwheel or a chakra is «an ancient solar symbol appeared in the late Neolithic period. Earlier used Paleolithic drawings with images of flower or circle, crossed by several diagonals, usually served as a grapheme of sky and sunlight. But in Indo-European culture, the sign like the image of cartwheel, already firmly was associated with the sun rolling across the sky. The ancient Aryans had a special rite of the rotation of cartwheel fastened on a pole, this rite is executed in honor of the solar deity» (3, p. 92).
The symbol of cartwheel is represented on some panels of Yury Stash. On the panel «The optimist’s philosophy», the cartwheel is related with the Circassian philosophy and it is represented with spokes where one of them was not on the ground. This symbol is associated with the development when children have yet to stand up and to get stronger, as a spoke of cartwheel. The panel «The time of stagnation of the Soviet Union» represents one large cartwheel and two small wheels. The wheels are truncated; they stopped and cannot move that represents stop movement, stagnation. And the panel «The Perestroika» (Restructuring) depicts a large round wheel with 15 spokes. This is the Soviet Union with 15 republics. In result, the wheel breaks down and turns into a question mark. The spokes are falling out of it, as republics left the Soviet Union, one after another. In this case, the wheel represents a whole, a unity (1).
Speaking of modern decorative panels of Yury Stash, it should represent spiral ornaments, executed with special techniques of artist - twisting and braiding. The most striking examples of this are the panel «The search» and the panels-triptych «Contrary» where the painter combined different techniques. In this case, he made all the cords, although there are inserts and finished parts, for example, buboes or chest plaques. For twisting and braiding, the author uses threads of different colors.

As a symbol, the spiral is «a universal grapheme, common in the Paleolithic era. Since the antiquity times, spiral motifs were associated with the water element and the fructifying power of the earth, therefore – with female beginning and moon. On the other hand, the spiral is close to a circle, it was considered as a solar symbol and was associated with movement of sun, cosmic gyre and universal energy. In these cases, a spiral refers to the so-called «thunder», cloud patterns incarnating the male principle. Curls and volutes were used as graphic symbols of sacred animals – Buffalo, bull or sheep, incoming in the circle of solar signs. There are different types of spiral patterns, which can be divided into three main groups: normal, double and multi-piece spirals. The prototypes of a simple spiral are considered a shell or a coiled serpent. The basis of the double spiral is S-shaped figure incarnating the idea of the eternal life and the infinity. At the same time, two parts of this figure are perceived as a deployed in time and in space process of movement having its beginning and end, formation and disappearance. Two intersecting double spirals have swastika-shaped contours and, in this case, they are interpreted as solar symbols. The spiral often is a form-building element of the number of patterns: branches of the Tree of life, stars, meanders, etc.» (3, Pp. 159-160).
If we analyze the meaning of using by artist Yury Stash of various kinds of spiral ornaments of all three groups: normal, double and multi-piece, it likely means movement of sun, cosmic gyre and universal energy. And in the case of the double spiral, there is deployed in time and in space process of movement having beginning and end.
 
One of the frequently used symbols in the works of Yury Stash is a treble clef (suit «The Melody of the Caucasus», panel «Sochi-2014», art object «The Globe», etc.). The artist explains this symbol as follows: «Using that symbol in my works, I want to say all music would be sounded, and not exploding of shells. Every explosion, every shot gets to the heart of woman. Why? Father, husband, son, son-in-law, grandson may die» (1).
In addition, the symbolism of modern applied arts of Yury Stash should also include inscriptions or typefaces which can also be considered as ornaments (2, p. 51). He uses typefaces in different languages in his decorative compositions. The example of this can be the panel «The Empathy» and the art object «The Globe», dedicated to all inhabitants of our planet, to tolerance, to dialogue of peoples. Thus, the words for «The Globe» were taken from documents in Russian and French sent from the headquarters of the UNESCO in Paris to the artist at the time. This globe includes words in Adyghe language: «Ùû1àãúý» (Tolerance). The philosophical idea of this work is simple: «We live in one planet! We must be tolerant and indulgent to each other. And the beauty and the art help us in this» (1). In general, the contemporary art often uses an ornamental interpretation of typefaces.

In the applied art of Yury Stash, the pyramid «The Interaction of cultures» can be considered as a culmination of the use of symbolic kaleidoscope, from the most ancient to modern symbols. The painter says himself of the creation of such art objects like pyramids: «My pyramids symbolize mountains. One of them shows the symbol of civilization or the tripartite sign, proposed by Nicholas Roerich, as a sign of banner of world in the form of three red circles enclosed in round» (6). As the art expert of the NCF of SMOA Fatima Suleymanova notes, in the opinion of the artist, the circle symbolized the eternity expressing the continuity of the past, the present and the future. But there is another explanation of the sign or the Trinity of science, art and philosophy in ring of synthesis. Overall, the originality of the pyramid consists in a collection of symbols of different civilizations and cultures, for example, Egyptian, religious, national symbols, Circassian ornaments, symbols of the Soviet period, special signs, tamgas. Yury Stash wanted with his work to demonstrate visually the interpenetration of cultures of different civilizations, nations, peoples. «One culture penetrates in another. The time passes, and their culture becomes ours, and our culture becomes theirs» (Yury Stash).
All symbols, represented above and used by the Circassian artist-designer Yury Stash in their decorative works, relate, one way or another, to solar signs. And although many of them are very ancient and they have their history in the applied arts of different peoples, including the Circassians, in his works, they acquire their original meanings, their special character. However, all of these symbols and ornaments are used by the painter, foremost, for representation of goodness and beauty; and not only beauty of image, but beauty of thought. It is considered the ornament «incarnates, as any other art, in its own way the worldview of the artist and the whole society, the people and the era. It directly and colorfully incarnates not in symbols, but through a vivid sense of beauty and order, harmonic integrity of world. This feeling of world harmony, constituting a figurative meaning of ornament, is represented not only by choice and interpretation of decorative motifs, but also by structure of pattern, rhythm, ornamental netting, its clarity or braiding, accuracy and ease» (2, p. 281).
So, every work of the artist-designer Yury Stash keeps a secret beauty, a mystery of sweetness (the terminology of the artist). The author believes «the person has to like, he has to consider it nice, when he looks at painting, panel, suit or other art object» (1). According to the master, «it’s necessary to create works which make a person better, especially in today’s world» (1). And the ornaments and symbols of his works, as traditional and ethnic, and social and philosophical, fully contribute to this transformation.
In conclusion, there are the words of the artist-designer Yury Stash, revealing not only the essence of all his work, but his personal principle of life: «Try to do good, it will return to you multiplied in hundred times. I have a good rule: if I didn't do today something of good, I lived this day in vain. We should educate the young people in such tradition. And then the peace and the harmony will reign in the world. What do the people need? We had enough wars and strife, rather victims. May be, planting gardens, rearing kids, building houses – as it manages to use in our Circassian villages – across the street, at the meeting, we will tell each other: «Peace to your house». And we will live in peace and harmony in the Caucasus, in Russia and in the whole world. I’m sure I am a happy man!».

Bibliography:
1. The Interview of Yury Stash. NCF SMOA. Maikop, 2016../ 2. Gerchuk, Yu. What is the ornament? Structure and meaning of the ornamental image. Moscow. 1998.
3. The magical world of patterns. Encyclopedia of Ornamental Motifs of the Southeast Asia /The State Museum of Oriental art. Moscow. 2003
4. «The famous fashion designer of Adygeya devoted his new suit «The Horsewoman of Gabukay» to the 20th anniversary of the republic»/ https://www.yuga.ru/news/239947/
5. Studenetskaya, E. N. The clothing of the North Caucasus nations in the XVIII-XX centuries. Moscow. Science. 1989
6. «The Adyghe avant-garde fashion «In the world of myths and realities»» (2014)/ «The Caucasian knot»: http://dagetan.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/238712/
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11. Ariel Golan. Myth and symbol. 2-th edition. Moscow. 1994