For the holiday season, the editors of EastEast have assembled a collection of some not-so-obvious items that you can gift to your loved ones (or even keep for yourself): Balkan carpets, tablecloths from Georgian artists, a compilation of Christmas electronic music, candles in the shape of Gouda cheese, and more.
Dishes featuring scenes from Ukrainian Christmas rituals. The designs are inspired by real monuments from churches and the festive symbolism of folk iconography. The images are hand-painted on porcelain and are based on 17th-century stone slabs from the Ivano-Frankivsk region, wooden altar crosses from Bukovina, and Christmas cookies from the Poltava region.
Mega Grape Tablecloth and New Year's Toys, 250-350 GEL|purchase
Gvantsa Jishkariani's tablecloths from the store of the Why Not Gallery, who are engaged in the support and promotion of Georgian artists. By releasing limited editions of everyday items, the Why Not Gift Shop gives young artists the opportunity to work with new mediums and materials.
A Christmas compilation from the Belgian cassette label Jj funhouse. This dreamy and soothing electronica with thoughtful rhythmic elements is the perfect accompaniment for relaxing under a blanket after all the affairs of the past year and tuning in to the achievements of the next. The first volume is available for free download, the second can still be purchased, but the third is already completely sold out.
Udmurt Rave (Udmurt re thin) by post-dukes (2023), $7–25|purchase
The latest release from Izhevsk-based group post-dukes. Traditional Udmurt songs are performed on handmade folk instruments and combined with modern electronic sounds. Available as a 12" LP and digital album.
BOOKS
The publication, released for the 100th anniversary of the Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko, is a compilation of a number of articles, essays, reflections, and texts on her work and artistic legacy.
Catalog Style Congo: Heritage & Heresy (2023), €30|purchase
To coincide with the exhibition of the same name, this book traces the history of the Congo's representation at international and colonial exhibitions in Belgium, France, and the Congo itself from 1885 to 1958. The work is based on the collection of the Belgian museum and archive CIVA.
In the online store of the A24 film studio you can buy a kit for making a gingerbread house in the syle of the events of the gothic horror film “Hereditary” (2018). Hurry up, as it may sell out quickly, like a copy of the Hårga Temple from the folk horror film “Midsommar ” (2019), crafted into the form of a ceramic stand for burning incense.
Molds for gingerbread from Zhuchka’s workshop, 2400 rubles|order
Beech-wood molds coated with linseed oil from the St. Petersburg project “Zhuchka.” The project works with vintage materials and techniques. The set comes with a studio-tested recipe for New Year's gingerbread.
Despite their rich textile culture, Balkan carpets are rarely found outside the region. The Serbian store Vracar collects antique kilims (thin double-sided carpets) and delivers them all over the world. They also sell glazed ceramics and other household items.
Gohar Candles, $32–112|purchase
Laila and Nadia Guhar's candles are made in the form of every kind of food imaginable—from cauliflower and gouda cheese to salami loaves and cuts of fried chicken.
Cover photo © EastEast. Set Design: Nastya Indrikova. Lighting and photography: Ilyas Hajji. Studio Surat, 2023
