An Unexpected Discovery

As global culture homogenizes—cafes in Stockholm serve the same avocado toast as bistros in Buenos Aires—true inspiration often hides in plain sight. For Relish, a creative studio with deep roots in Skopje, this truth revealed itself in the most quintessential of local places: a kafana.

Picture this: A dimly lit eatery, air thick with the aroma of grilled kebab and lively conversation. Amidst the clinking of glasses and bursts of laughter, a drawing caught my eye. It wasn’t perfectly hung, but it was perfectly captivating – a candlelit dinner scene that spoke volumes in its simplicity.

The signature revealed the artist: Jovan Dimovski, a name I was unfamiliar with, but undeniably Macedonian. Dated 1960, it looked like a napkin sketch from another era. I wondered if it depicted this very kafana. A certificate of authenticity hung nearby, complete with a contact email.

On a whim, I sent out an email, asking if we could scan the drawing to hang up in our office. I really didn’t expect to hear back—it felt like a long shot.

I got a response back almost immediately and felt a jolt of unexpected thrill. It came from George Dimovski – son of Jovan. His words brimmed with emotion as he shared the story of his father’s Parisian adventures in the 1960s, each sentence painting a vivid picture of a time when Macedonia’s artists sought inspiration far beyond their borders, only to bring it home again.

At Relish, we’ve always believed that creativity thrives at intersections. Between cultures, between eras, between the expected and the surprising. Heritage. The threads that tie past to present, local to global.

The unexpected beauty of this discovery sparked an idea. With George’s blessing, we reimagined that kafana discovery as the heart of our upcoming event invitation—we were in the midst of planning our annual mixer. A scanned drawing transformed into a postcard.

Our event became a sort of continuation of Jovan’s dinner scene. A celebration of the unexpected connections that tie us to our past and propel us into the future. A testament to the enduring power of art to bridge generations and cultures.

Macedonia is a small country with a big history. To locals, its beauty and richness are often overlooked. But in every kafana, every street corner, every casual conversation, there’s a story waiting to be told.

In an era that feels too fast, too digital, too disconnected, there’s still immense power in a shared meal, a chance discovery, and a story passed down through generations. Sometimes, all it takes is a visit to the tavern next door to get that reminder.

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Words: Dimitar Popov