At the turn of summer and autumn, the Ukrainian Fair-exhibition of folk art was held in Donetsk, probably for the first time in history of the mining capital. The range of goods offered on trays deployed outdoors in a central city park frankly impressed the citizens: from traditional Ukrainian reeled dolls and various embroideries to modern hand-made ceramics and exquisitely carved ostrich egg shells. There were also articles made of wood, stone, straw and even dough. Several market rows were devoted entirely to varieties of honey and other healthy apiary products, and even heady mead. Yurii Kravchenko from Soledar brought carved salt figurines for a “trial run.” He said the material is capricious and fragile. Back in The Day there was an artist who worked in the local mines and produced wonderful creations from translucent salt crystals, so modern artists have high standards to live up to. Those who captured the essence of the moment profited the most. In particular, people queued to a tent whose owner sold simple flowers for children’s heads, because many young parents, visiting the exhibition with their family members, wished to dress their little daughters as “real Ukrainians.”
