site.btaBulgarian Artist Shows Kukeri-Inspired Rugs at Romanian Design Week

Bulgarian artist Eliza Yokina is among the participants in the Romanian Design Week 2023 - the largest festival of the local creative industries. On May 18, together with Atelier Kairos, she will present Kukeri rugs in Bucharest - with roots from Bulgaria, design from Romania and craftsmanship from Nepal. 

In a centuries-old tradition Bulgarian, Kukeri are elaborately costumed men, who perform ritual dances intended to scare away evil spirits.

"This collection is inspired by our common roots, the rituals of our Bulgarian ancestors from the south of the country. I see the carpet as an object in which tradition is embedded. I was looking for the strongest expression of our roots and so I decided to focus on one of the last pagan rituals in Europe. I wanted to transfer and embody the power of dance, faith, fear, excitement and joy in an everyday object," Eliza told BTA. She is convinced that every handmade rug has something that a machine could never have: a soul.

Yokina was born in Bulgaria in 1979, but has lived and worked in Romania since 1997. She studied at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning in Bucharest on a scholarship from the Romanian Ministry of Education. During her studies, she was awarded several scholarships and prizes, including a medal from the Ministry of Education for outstanding thesis project. After graduation, she worked in several renowned architectural offices in Romania. In 2006, together with Adrian Soare, she created her own.

She is a three-time winner of the Grand Prize for Architecture of Romania. Her book Dreams for Houses (Vise Despre Case) became the best book for children and young adults at the Romanian Publishing Industry Gala in 2012. Elisa worked on the transformation of one of Bucharest's most famous buildings, Marmoros Bank, into a five-star hotel. 

Here is what the artist-architect told BTA before the opening of the Kukeri rug exhibition.

What inspired you for the Kukeri rugs?

When Atelier Kairos invited me to create a new rug design for them, I didn't know what direction to take. It got me thinking about what a rug brings into a home - fairy tale, tradition, comfort and positive energy or all of those things. A rug is generally a carrier of tradition and centuries of history, so I decided to dig deeper into my roots and find something bright, something wonderful as a message from the ages to today's way of life. 

And what is the message?

To connect with our roots and live our days fully, to master both fear and darkness and turn it into light and joy. 

What tales are woven into the rugs? 

You will hear them when you lie down on the carpet with your ear glued to the floor. 

What do you tell Romanian people about the Kukeri?

Well, there are similar pagan celebrations here too, but I mostly tell them about my experience of observing this ritual. I was very lucky, two weeks ago. The American edition of the New Yorker has released a documentary about the Kukeri. With the effort of people from Romania, Bulgaria, France and the USA, we managed to get the rights to screen it. The film presents the phenomenon itself quite graphically.

And what is the connection with Nepal in this project?

Atelier Kairos makes its carpets in Nepal, as the handicraft there is of the highest level. The weavers are also part of the creation of the carpets. We live in a globalized world with more and more technology, factory production and man-made materials and it was important for me to create an object that comes from our roots. These rugs are handmade and use only natural materials: Himalayan wool and Chinese silk. 

Tell us about your roots woven into the rugs?  

I was born in Vidin. I grew up by the Danube in a mixed Vlach-Bulgarian family. Recently, when I visited the Danube Delta, I understood why I immediately felt at home. That's where Ongal is. 

[Ongal was the first settlement of Bulgarians led by Khan Asparuh as they settled on the Lower Danube in the second half of the 7th century.]

What would you be as a building? 

I hadn't been asked that question before! Come to think of it... I'd love to be a ground floor house. Bright, open, very simple but labyrinthine, in the middle of a beautiful natural landscape. 

How do Bulgaria and Romania compare in terms of architecture? 

It's hard to compare them, as my experience with Bulgaria is quite scarce, professionally. But I have long wanted to work in Bulgaria as well. In Romania, architecture and design have progressed a lot in recent years. But in Bulgaria the attention to craftsmanship is greater than here.

You have been in Romania since 1997. How has your life changed, what have you learned about Romania and do you draw a parallel between the two nations?

Romania is not the easiest country to live in, but it has a very beautiful nature. I constantly meet interesting and inspiring people. I often draw parallels between the two countries, the differences are many and visible, especially when it comes to human relationships. Bulgarians are more direct in their actions and more reliable. In Romania I constantly meet extremely intelligent, talented and ambitious people, but, as in Bulgaria, they are more individualistic.