Every year when the holidays roll around, we find ourselves wondering: What sort of gifts will the art folks in our lives truly appreciate? For as we all know, artists and art workers have particular tastes and strong opinions — and rightfully so. The holiday season is always better with a little art-inspired fun, and the items in our store offer a few accessible ways to help you make it happen.
For starters, help your friends and family host a feast with tableware inspired by work from artists like Louise Bourgeois and Keith Haring, and make sure to use an artful tea towel to keep things clean. Playtime comes after dinner — how about a modern art puzzle or game for fun with the whole family? Once that’s over, they might want to spend the rest of the evening perusing a good book, or maybe they’ll share a bedtime story with their young artists. But perhaps they have plans to go out, and you can help them dress for the occasion with a new scarf or one of the many choices from our collection of art-inspired socks.
The possibilities really are endless, especially when you consider that we offer free shipping on all domestic orders over $100. If you’d like some extra inspiration, check out last year’s guide for more holiday gift ideas. And if you simply can’t decide, Hyperallergic Store gift cards always make wonderful presents.
In addition to our membership program, our store is another great way you can support our independent arts journalism year-round. As a thank you for supporting us, members get a discount code for 10% off all orders in our store (if you are a member and are unsure where to find the code, get in touch with us at membership@hyperallergic.com).
“Girl with a Pearl Earring” Enamel Pin
We can’t get over how the design of one of our favorite new pins makes for such a lovely interpretation of the artwork it’s based on. The colors and lines on this miniature enamel rendering of Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (c. 1665) channel the painting’s expert use of light, endowing the pin with an alluring mystique worthy of the original.
Make it a set and get the matching socks!
Basquiat Skull Bag
Show off your elevated taste in art while schlepping your books and other assorted carriables around in this vibrant blue tote, which features a design based on the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat. If you like the bag but prefer a smaller size, this funky three-pack of zip pockets comes with a pocket-sized version.
Visit the store for more artfully designed bags and totes.
Portrait of Félix Socks
Art socks inspired by a painting of an anarchist art critic? Sign us up! Paul Signac’s portrait of Félix Fénéon, who coined the term “Neo-impressionism” and helped promote what is now known as Pointillism, is ready to take its place in your wardrobe. Fun fact: Hyperallergic’s editor-in-chief Hrag Vartanian already has a pair — “Portrait of Félix Fénéon” (1890) is one of his favorite paintings.
Shop our collection of art-inspired socks!
This Book Is a Planetarium
Defying every expectation of what a book can be, this pop-up extravaganza transforms into six fully functional tools: a real working planetarium projecting the constellations, a musical instrument complete with strings for strumming, a geometric drawing generator, an infinite calendar, a message decoder, and even a speaker that amplifies sound.
Explore more art-inspired games, toys, and activities!
Louise Bourgeois “Spirals” Teacup & Saucer
Add an artful twist to your daily tea respite with this teacup and saucer, featuring details from the woodcut series Spirals by Louise Bourgeois. While the original works can be seen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, these delightful ceramic adaptations will be right at home in your kitchen cabinet.
Decorate like an art collector — shop our home goods.
Mini Rugs Coaster Set
A fun and elegant way to cushion drinks, the original rugs these coasters are based on are from Northern India, Turkey, and Northwestern Iran or Caucasus. Dating from the 14th to the 19th century, these exquisite fabric works can be seen today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Let art protect your books and furniture from ring stains: check out our coasters.
Frank Lloyd Wright Paper Models
Kirigami is a variation of origami that involves cutting as well as folding paper. This large activity book provides step-by-step instructions and templates so that you can create 14 of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic modernist buildings, including the Robie House, “Fallingwater,” the Guggenheim, and more.
If kirigami architecture appeals to your sensibilities, you’ll love Le Corbusier Paper Models!
“Love Forever” Tea Towel Set x Yayoi Kusama
Made in collaboration with Yayoi Kusama, these red and white linen/cotton tea towels are helpful reminders of what’s truly important in this world: love. Patterned with her signature polka dots, these two towels can be put to traditional use in the kitchen or stretched on canvas as affordable artworks for your home.
For more tea towels featuring work by acclaimed artists, shop our selection.
Printmaking Enamel Pin
This soft enamel pin is a cheeky nod to the many printmaking techniques that yield reverse-image copies of the original plate. The design is a Hyperallergic Store customer favorite, so it tends to sell out fast, but if you miss it, don’t worry — it also comes as an embroidered patch.
Explore our collection of art-inspired pins!
Peruvian Patterns Scarf
This scarf’s bold, geometric design is derived from a cotton and camelid hair cloth fragment crafted in ancient Peru between 500–101 BCE. Today, the original textile artwork is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but you can take its luxuriously soft wool-silk descendant just about anywhere.
View more scarves inspired by works of art.
Yoshitomo Nara Notecards
The cards in this boxed set feature the quintessential big-headed, emotive children popularized by contemporary Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara. You could send them to family and friends, but since this set is a limited edition, maybe you want to hang onto everything yourself. Don’t worry, we’re not judging — we’d do the same.
Explore more greeting cards and stationery sets!
Guerrilla Girls: The Art of Behaving Badly
This holiday season, learn about the anonymous group of masked artist-activists who have been exposing corruption in art, politics, and pop culture since the 1980s. The Guerrilla Girls’ first monograph is more than just a survey — it’s a call to arms.
For other ferocious gift ideas, check out our Guerrilla Girls collection!
Our Mutt Dog Bowl
Great news: one of our favorite art puns for pets is now available in a style that’s just right for pint-sized pooches. This dog dish tips its hat to “Fountain” (1917) by converting Marcel Duchamp’s readymade into a functional, unique water bowl for pets both large and small. These ceramic beauties are handmade in Dallas by artists Tamara Johnson and Trey Burns.
Our Mutt stock is extremely limited, so order while they’re still available to receive yours by Christmas.
For art-inspired gifts, accessories, and more, visit the Hyperallergic Store.
Due to supply chain issues and ongoing delays with the US Postal Service, please allow for extra time for shipping. USPS has declared December 17 as its holiday delivery deadline but to be safe, we recommend customers place all holiday orders by December 14.
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