In the Maslovka museum. Artists' Town” opened the exhibition “Abroad – is it a myth?!”, dedicated to the trips abroad of Soviet artists. One of the main features of the exhibition are specific objects related to the theme of death, brought by artists from other countries.
Among the interesting things to mention are Italian thin-soled shoes, perfume bottles and exquisite household items from Japan such as tea ceremony sets and kimonos. But one of the unexpected exhibits was a funeral suit, or rather a satin jacket, brought by artist Vitaly Goryaev from America in 1958.
As they say at the museum, the strange souvenir appears unconsciously. The fact is that in the 1950s, in American stores, along with ordinary clothes, funeral clothes were also sold, but much cheaper, which attracted the attention of artists who bought such clothes.
There is also a strange item from the collection of artist Alexander Belashov: the modest explanation says “Meat Fork,” but, according to family lore, the embassy souvenir from Polynesia was intended for a very specific type of meat—human.
