As we did last year and the year before, we – large Robida fam – dedicated some time to think about the just passed year and dream about the new one coming. Thanks to those who took part to the game and those who wanted but didn't manage <3
About 2025
Favourite book(s) of 2025
Elena: Stefano Mancuso, La versione degli alberi. Maybe because it was the last one, or maybe because I thought it was something different before starting to read it. I read it in one day, it was a full immersion in this “fantastic” story about our contemporary society.
Aljaž: Dancing at the Edge of the World by Ursula K. Le Guin. I consider it this year’s favourite, because I used it a lot in my thinking and writing this year. Especially the text Bryn Mawr Commencement Address which talks about the father and mother tongue. I spent time with that distinction in my writing for about two or three months. For me, that is a long time for spending with a concept.
Dora: All fours / A quattro zampe, Miranda July. I picked up this book for a week long holiday at the end of summer and finished it at my sister's place in December. A good companion in this season of reflection.
Vida: Daniela Cascella’s Nothing As We Need It (Punctumbooks, 2022), Jackie Wang’s Alien Daughters Walk Into The Sun (2023, Semiotext(e)) and McKenzie Wark's Raving (2023, Duke University press).
Elena B: La Cucina Italiana Non Esiste di Alberto Grandi e Daniele Soffiati (2024, Mondadori). Finally, a book dedicated to debunking the myths of traditional Italian cuisine. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but the title says it all, and it’s suuuuuper intriguing—especially in light of the recent event: Italian cuisine has been added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. Here an article in English by author Alberto Grandi on The Guardian. (sent earlier this Dec by J <3)
Tiziana: Resurrection by Lev. N. Tolstoj. A wonderful super classic. I also enjoyed reading again Marina Abramovic's Walk through walls; last time I read it after visiting her retrospective in Florence, this time before visiting her exhibition in Vienna.
Antônio: Pier Vittorio Aureli’s Architecture and Abstraction. A bunch of insights that I deeply resonated with. Wondering how to think-with this on me in the coming year.
Ola: Cross Cultural Chairs; 8 chairs from 8 countries: diversifying modern seating by Matteo Guarnaccia — the book that I wanted for years, got for my birthday from Michele and now I want to dwell in it. I also found a whole collection of books of my beloved David Sedaris in a second hand shop (3 euro each) which was a blessing of the early spring. Please read Calypso.
Favourite song(s) of 2025
Elena: Unfortunately I am very bad at remembering titles.
Aljaž: Gone Tomorrow by Lambchop. I’m embarrassed to admit that I only found out about Lambchop this year. I remember driving to Topolò, and just a couple of turns before arriving there, If Not I’ll Just Die started playing on the radio. I don’t know who was with me. Was it you, Antônio? Was it maybe Matej? I just know that the words “Don’t know what the fuck they talk about.” got me hooked. And later I fell in love with Gone Tomorrow.
Vida: As some of you probably know I don’t really listen to, look for, or actively follow music. It doesn’t really fill my days or act as my background… But, having to think about it, I am happy to have actually singed some songs, like those in our Slovene dialect from childhood at Marghe’s party or some with Aljaž at Elena’s birthday party… So, more singing and not so much listening on my side!
Elena B: My Other Body · General Strike (Steve Beresford & David Toop), sometimes annoying, sometime energizing.
Tiziana: The year started with Ederlezi by Goran Bregović and this song stayed with me for quite a while.
Antônio: Let's play that, from recently deceased Jards Macalé.
Ola: Guilty conscience by Kneecap for gaining courage, Siboney by Connie Francis for car drives on greek islands, and all of the morning shows of Jack Rollo on NTS for resting and thinking.
Give a title to 2025
Elena: Rediscovery of transmissions
Aljaž: Cara vita, hai rotto il cazzo
Dora: A year to remember
Vida: Infinte immediacy
Elena B: 229038949 things to do before settling down
Tiziana: Wandering in the mountains with a heavy backpack
Antônio: Give it a try
Ola: Fruitful chaos
The nicest object you came across this year
Elena: The walkie-talkie
Aljaž: I could not care less about nice objects. But if I have to choose, I say la coperta riscaldante.
Dora: Pizza oven
Vida: I bought this nice little grater for ginger which helps in making super strong teas!
Elena B: One carabiner in particular, attached to my shoulder bag or backpack—holding keys, climbing shoes, focaccine, trash, water bottles, baseball cap, hairband, wet underwear etc etc…
Tiziana: A rusty spoon found in Franz's garden and a glass in a muretto a secco in the forest.
Antônio: A hay brush I saw in Japan with Elena.
Ola: An odd little aluminium cup that I found on a Croatian flea market.
A little failure of this year and how did it end (don’t take this question too seriously eh!)
Elena: Trying to take less useless photos with my phone. It ends with 60.000 photos on my phone and full storage. It didn’t work at all.
Aljaž: I don’t fail, I turn it into a joke.
Dora: Some lost conversations. I still need to answer.
Elena B: This summer I was invited to give a gnocchi workshop in a museum, outside its premises. Despite being weirdly warm and muggy in the previous days, an evening thunderstorm cleared the air, and on the morning of the event the wind was particularly vivid. As I started boiling the potatoes on the electric stove in the courtyard, I was interviewed by a local food blogger, and when I returned to the cooking station 60 minutes later, I realized that the potatoes were not even half-cooked due to the strong wind cooling down the pot—just a few minutes before the start of the event. Despite the warmth of the participants, mostly Italians lol, we ended up eating gnocchi with chunks of raw potato inside—my biggest nightmare. Peps, plan your recipe around properly cooked potatoes!
Vida: We failed bees :( and we also failed in the attempt of making candles from bees wax!! Now instead of candles we have clumps of wax that behave pyrotechnically when lighted!
Tiziana: I almost failed, but at the end not: I was invited to play in a project of a composer/double-bass player from Cologne, in which the pulse develops in sort of Escher's stairs. I don't want to go into the details now, but the first few days I couldn't orient myself at all and was pretty depressed and frustrated. It was the last project of 2025 and I didn't want to end the year with such a feeling! Progressively I started to see some light and finally I got into that. But I learned… well, this I will write in the learn answer…
Antônio: My photo camera broke and I don’t even know how. It just stopped working after, well, 9 years… It served me well and now I am looking for a new one (in case anyone has hints ;)
Ola: Went for a terrible date on which someone made me question my worldview and practice. I had to rethink everything from the bottom to the top, and came out of it wiser. Thanks dude!
A nice new encounter of this year
Elena: I was surprised to get to know Marta Sironi in an unexpected situation. I loved her chaotic energy in dialogue with my rationality.
Aljaž: The nice people, gang from Rijeka.
Dora: Love, eheh
Vida: Many! We finally met irl with Clavin and Lexi from Companion Platform in Topolove and then later with Calvin in Berlin and it was very sweet. And then, there was this fun, light but touching singing and playing moment with Martin during the summer school. At the beginning of the new year we met Alessandra and Filippo and it feels as if they are already part of the fam…
Elena B: All the souls that are making me feel Turin is a home far away from my real home <3
Tiziana: New musical and artistic encounters!
Antônio: Well, I have two. In chronological order: meeting Rosie and Francesco from Folly in London was quite sweet and stimulating; also, working with Giulia Iacolutti for the set design of Fili Continui—a beautiful project which will become a book edited by Robida in 2026— was a very soothing process.
Ola: Terra Nuda crew and iconic Clara Sprous, please check out her paintings
What are you proud of?
Elena: I finally faced my beloved and dreamt Japan.
Aljaž: I’m proud that I finally decided to try to teach at a school, after three years of being persuaded to do so.
Vida: I designed a little personal website, with the help of Elliott (not many people saw it yet so here’s the link: https://vidarucli.com/). Quite high html energy I think!
Dora: To cut some painful branches and give space to positive energy and new stories
Elena B: How Bloooooooooming continues to seek out and nurture collaborations, flourishing and engaging with new and old friends making beautiful things together (SPRINT, no kiss, Companion Platform <3 <3).
Tiziana: My vegetable garden in Topolò. Some really nice concerts/performances. The MOST "occourence".
Antônio: I am quite proud of building Log with Diogo and Madalena, and of editing the book afterwards with Heike and Robida. It was hard, everyone gave their best and I am happy it is finally done.
Ola: This year of many things! Of becoming a university teacher, of saying no to the cool job that offered shit money (I finally broke my yes to everything rule! The pleasure of refusal is a new rule that I will reasonably use), of making a first professional movie poster that hung in many many cities in Poland, of our books that we made with Laura being shown in Japan and Taiwan — our babies so so far!
A nice collective Robida moment
Elena: 8 hours five of us in the same car playing and chatting! Thank you Aljaž for the perfect driving from Topolove to Rome!
Aljaž: The Summer School, always.
Dora: Torneo di Calcetto :)
Vida: This year was infinite! There were many specially sweet moments: I remember this evening in front of Izba… Memi was climbing up the streelight pole, Dora and Matia were playing basketball, we (Tiziana, Ola, Dora and Blaso) danced with iconic Graziella and there was a beautiful sunset – everything felt somehow light and airy.
Elena B: Making gnocchi with Piera on a late-summer afternoon, in front of Izba, for the Sunday dinner of MOST festival in Topolove.
Tiziana: Live diarietto last summer (was it in summer?) with Dora, Elena, Vida and Franca and torneo di calcetto!
Antônio: The WCSCD visit was surprisingly encouraging for me. I loved the format of going around Topolò and discussing themes related to specific sites. Plus, everyone was very generous sharing their ideas and thoughts.
Ola: All of the Rome trip!!! But mostly the apritivo on the beautiful piazza, the evening of eating the funky roman delicacies which name I do not remember and our dance class!
The tastiest meal you had
Elena: Everything in Japan!
Aljaž: I have to say that the sausage in Paris was very good. It had a great sugehetto. I have to learn to do it – red-winey, salty and sweet. And it was a week ago. I don't really remember the new dishes I had this year. I tend to forget about food quickly, sadly.
Dora: A lot of cozze/mussels, on the sea, with a huge storm around me
Vida: there was this nice chicken soup made by Rebeca in her home in Berlin… that whole evening was special.
Elena B: Vegetarian burger with black garlic mayo, baked potatoes and mizuna salad. Served and cooked by jessie and elise, at the land canteen in Amsterdam.
Tiziana: I loved the super extended meal at Elena's birthday
Antônio: I am with Elena on this.
Ola: Always and forever greek pita gyros eaten with Zosia in Greece
A trick related to self-care you would like to share (e.g. fish oil, squats)
Elena: I don’t think I am a person who takes care of herself! No tricks to share :(
Aljaž: If you need it, don’t worry, just do it and spend the whole afternoon watching videos about politics on Youtube. You deserve it, champ.
Dora: I started a skin care routine, but not very sure if does it work, but it is nice to have a routine
Vida: Oxymel, a mix of vinegar, honey and herbs, to drink in the morning. Thank you Philipp and Suzy for sharing the recipes!
Elena B: Fancy outsourced cucumbers + local refrigerated potatoes slices for your under-eyes bags, eheeeeee
Tiziana: Rubbing lemon on hands and face. Cold showers. Kombucha.
Antônio: Early lunch, early dinner.
Ola: Brushing the body with dry brush and in the shower with a very scratchy sponge — makes your blood flow and you feel alive! (Thank you Ola, very cool - V)
Something you learned
Elena: I learned to jump in unknown situations.
Aljaž: I learned to speak a bit more “fluently” in Italian.
Dora: Sewing a zip
Vida: Sewing too – thank you Dora for organising the course!
Elena B: I learned that the more I learned, the more I realized how much I didn’t know.
Tiziana: Habits (which are different from rituals) are a trap for our mind (and body too), they don't need to be bad habits, but something we take for granted, like for example writing with the same hand. So actually, we really need to challenge ourselves with stuff we are not used to doing. It's nothing new, but until we bump into something unusual, we don't do anything.
Antônio: I think I learned to color grade.
Ola: To imitate a sound that goats make, I haven’t mastered it yet, but almost there.
A special sound of 2025
Elena: The special silence in Japan.
Vida: On a tree, on a very specific branch, in front of Blaso’s house, on a hot hot July day, a bunch of cicadas (or was it one?) filled the air.
Aljaž: Human-like walking through the leaves. Taking a breath in … and letting it out with a bit of added soft growl to it … I heard this sound in the forest one day, going for a walk to Brieza. It was 21:00 and quite dark already. When I heard it, I thought I was halucinating. Then I heard it for the second time. I took all of my stuff and ran down the hill. Dear Brieza, you will not see me again in the evening, thank you very much!
Dora: Tona (the cat) calling me from outside.
Elena B: Otto’s weird whistles sounds—unclear in their nature, but soft and sweet for a 45 kg dog.
Tiziana: The birds singing in spring in Topolò. What a concert! But especially I love the moment in the evening when they progressively stop singing and at the end there are maybe left only one or two, before the silence.
Antônio: We were at Mulino Vecchio and could hear a strange melody in the woods. It took a while to realize we were listening to Thomas rehearsing at his piano, echoed across the valley. It was quite surreal and other worldly.
Ola: Goat sound.
A word from 2025 you hated!
Elena: Now
Aljaž: Borderless. Not hated, I just directed a lot of my writing activities against it.
Vida: Many! Legacy, borderless, SKGZ and SSO (those who know know!), proslava, management.
Elena B: Transdisciplinary
Tiziana: Rearm
Antônio: Anistia
Ola: War
Fav colour among those on our website’s people page
Elena: Giorgia Maurovich's dark warm brown
Vida: Eugenia Delbue’s brown
Aljaž: Matia’s pink. Good choice, man
Dora: Benedetta Ferrari’s blue
Elena B: Jip’s green <3
Tiziana: Anastasia Eggers’ super yellow
Antônio: Timo’s feels like autumn.
Ola: Lexi’s green — so juicy yet so calm
A coincidence or something unexpected
Elena: A visit of a few hours that turned into a few days, sharing our everyday life in a simple way.
Vida: Many of you heard this story already, but here you have it again. Lately I got interested in the publishing house Tenement Press of which I bought two books: Envois by Jacques Lacan and Sharon Kivland and Midsummer Song by Maria Sledmere. I started reading the latter some days ago when Maria Moschioni came for a visit. Since Sledmere lives in Glasgow, where also Maria lived and studied I showed her the book. She remembered that name and hypothesised that they could have had some shared classes and shared friends. But then the name appeared more than familiar to her and she concluded that “maybe Maria Sledmere wrote for Robida”. Therefore I went to check the official list of contributors and her name was not there… Maria checked her emails and, long story short, she was right! Maria Sledmere, the author whose book I am reading at the moment which I found by chance among the catalogue of an unknown and fascinating publisher from the UK wrote for Robida 2 (2016)!! Sunset on the Crossing, a poem which we published in its handwritten form among the beautiful drawings by Lau!
Aljaž: Vida and I curated the programme book of ECoC 2025 Nova Gorica–Gorizia. I wouldn’t have expected that two years ago.
Dora: To find someone with whom to share smiles, long sleeps, travels and good food.
Elena B: Ended up living 500km far from home in Italy.
Tiziana: My friend Martina coming unexpectedly to MOST.
Antônio: It was quite cool going to Paris with Elena to visit and work with Tymon.
Ola: I met Mahmood in the club in Berlin and he gave me a kiss on my cheek!
Three positive changes of 2025
Elena: New windows and doors in the house. Buying a ruin (ooops!), appreciate also dogs (!)
Aljaž: I started working in Špeter, so closer to home. Matej got his apartment in Gorizia, so it’s a new, cozy place to hang out. Most of the people finally agree – it’s a genocide.
Dora: A new set for the bedroom, a new light for home working, part time work
Vida: The balcony is now lilac! – I spent a month in Berlin and that was quite a big change of what surrounds me – I became officially part of Floating’s association!
Elena B: Starting ski mountaineering—currently looking for new buddies and adventures to share it with; working at the local food market in Udine for the organic farm L’Orto Felice; moving to Turin.
Tiziana: in spite of Saturn in opposition, which gives a certain heaviness, here some positive changes: new chimney in Pihuova (important!); two new ensembles I play and tour with... is it a change or rather something new... well...; being 4 months in Topolò!
Antônio: I did not have a fixed job anymore and it was very rewarding to finally be able to manage my time and attention autonomously. I think that this also made me more present here. It was also nice to edit a part of Robida Magazine for the first time and to be involved with MOST.
Ola: The papyrus seedling I got from my mom finally has a baby root and it’s ready to plant, I made a new, nicer e-mail address, aaaaaand I finally set some boundaries here and there!
Whom you missed in 2025
Elena: Aivaras! I would love to continue to work on the barn with him!
Vida: Kim! How can Spring start without Kim (and it’s already two years I have no real Springs…). Also Janja, too little Janja around us,
Aljaž: Žiga! He moved to Brussels, so we saw each other less this year. Let’s see what time brings. I definitely need to be closer, find time to stay in touch also over distance!”
Elena B: The Sisters of The Rope! Portabella market crew! BAU! J&J! Nichi! Morta!
Tiziana: I missed my friends in Pisa and elsewhere I don't go so often, my niece and my nephew, whom I didn't see at all in 2025 and a super special friend of mine who is living in Rome and whom I haven't seen for several years. Of course, I also miss my parents...somehow…
Antônio: Nina! After her visit with Thiago.
Ola: Zosia! Never enough of my best friend
Dreaming 2026
A guiding verb for the new year
Elena: Underlining.
Aljaž: Learning.
Dora: Finalizing.
Elena B: Meaning-making.
Vida: Defining.
Tiziana: Peace-making.
Antônio: Belonging.
Ola: Moving.
Give a title to 2026
Elena: How to learn lightness.
Aljaž: The Best Year in the History of Mankind. And You’re Here to Witness it.
Vida: Can you be soft please?
Dora: What could I need more?
Elena B: Please, bear with me and my avoidant attachment.
Tiziana: Walking in the Tarot Garden.
Antônio: Anything goes!
Ola: Let’s gooooooo!
A page to rip away or, as we said last year, a branch to cut in 2026
Elena: Less unuseful IG.
Aljaž: Not not-read for a long period of time. I am very sad when at the end of the year I calculate that I read a very small amount books.
Dora: Neverending conversation.
Vida: Oioiii, this year the tree needs quite some pruning: bitterness, severity, tightness, expectations, pressure. I want an airy tree, where there is enough space for light to touch the fruits and make them soft.
Elena B: oh wow, I love what vida has written above, can I copy and paste??
Tiziana: Wars in Ukraine and Gaza (and other real and potential wars too). If more personal, some music ensembles and collaborations. Plus all the things Vida wrote…hehe…easy!
Antônio: Hesitation
Ola: Boys again, but this time for real!
If in 2026 you would be a fruit tree, what (or who) would your roots, trunk and fruits be?
Elena: Roots = experiences, trunk = choices, fruits = dreams.
Aljaž: Roots = knowledges, trunk = confidence, fruits = writing.
Dora: Roots = home, trunk = friends, fruits = smiles.
Elena B: Roots = my communities, trunk = girlfriends, fruits = long-term collaborations.
Vida: Roots = courage, trunk = commitment, fruits = unexpected, different and new beginnings. But I already see that this is very much an un-realistic tree… another option, maybe much more needed: Roots = friendships, trunk = time spent together, fruits = lightness and joy!
Tiziana: Roots = the brain, trunk = the body, fruits = the psyche.
Antônio: roots = place(s), trunk = research and practice, fruits=it takes time,
Ola: roots = skills, trunk = sweet people around, fruits = the coolest projects!
A guide fruit for this year
Elena: Wild strawberries. Desired, difficult to harvest but incredibly satisfying (even just one).
Aljaž: Graziano’s orange.
Dora: Apple, classic and maybe boring, but I still have a good amount to use this winter.
Vida: Cherries: you cannot be bored of them because they last very short and they invite play!
Elena B: Watermelon—from the river to the sea.
Tiziana: Wild plum.
Antônio: Kaki overdose.
Ola: Tomato — brave and confident yet mysterious.
A challenge you propose to a friend!
Elena: Aljaž: to work less!!!!
Aljaž: To whom it may concern: … make a little baby – you know you want to … making anti-fascit babies is important …
Dora: To Vida, hot water in the kitchen, please!
Vida: To Elena: again, make a portfolio of your drawings <3
Elena B: To everybody: to work less!
Tiziana: To Elena: to write and draw with the left hand...sometimes...
Antônio: To Elena: let’s build the studio!
Ola: Laura — make the next book with me!
Something you would like to start learning in 2026
Elena: I would love to be more aware about glazing and the results after firing ceramics. Then I would like to start understanding and be more confident in speaking the language of those involved in construction.
Aljaž: Maybe a new language.
Dora: Bread making and cutting firewood.
Vida: Practicing kindness.
Elena B: Fermenting—everythinggggg, in order to preserve seasonal things and local flavours I encounter while travelling.
Tiziana: Some manual practical things, like drilling holes and so on......I am pretty bad at that and very passionate neither, so I'll have to force myself to get into that (but will I do it?? I doubt...).
Antônio: To be able to talk about anything with anybody.
Ola: French!
More … (five things you would like to include, take in, dedicate attention to)
Elena: spontaneity, self confidence, focus, unexpected things, walks
Vida: balance, joyfulness, lightness, dancing with Ola, writing.
Aljaž: listening, reading, writing, wanting new experiences, exercise.
Dora: routine, education, sewing, concentration, crafting
Elena B: weekly climbing excursions, reduce toxins in the body, verbalize more my limits, writing letters, car driving
Tiziana: Some special projects. Museums and exhibitions. Taking time to do small, but important things, that apparently are not necessary. Vegetable garden. Enthusiasm.
Antônio: dancing, stalla, reading, writing, running
Ola: dancing with Vida, joking, working on short stories, swimming, producing mooooore artworks (and selling them!)
Less … (five things you would like to exclude, take out, dedicate less attention to)
Elena: discussions, fragility, unproductive time, heaviness, feeling lost
Vida: guilt, sensation of things going to fray, people leaving, crying, insecurities.
Aljaž: back-hurting, tooth-aching, undecidedness, too much work, bureaucracy.
Dora: car driving, judgments, expectations, wooooork
Elena B: smoooking, enough to count for 5
Tiziana: The actual world situation (wars, exploitation, abuse,...). Medicines. Train delays/cancellations. The others' opinions/expectations. Crowds.
Antônio: Obsessiveness x5
Ola: bureaucracy, being influenced by other’s ppl moods, back pain, colds, fascism
A place you would like to visit
Elena: Marocco or Pantanal.
Vida: Wales
Aljaž: Gråsten, Denmark.
Dora: Morocco or Greece
Elena B: Brasil
Tiziana: Armenia (Tiz, go with Dona!!! V)
Antônio: With Elena again
Ola: Marseille
A quality of a friend which you would like to learn
Elena: Tymon’s balance.
Aljaž: Thomas’ excitement.
Vida: Sophie’s gentle radicality.
Dora: Lau’s loyalty
Elena B: Elena R’s attention for details
Tiziana: Never complaining, even in terrible situations, from my friend Francesca.
Antônio: Blaso’s commitment to building his home
Ola: Aliaz’s could not caring less when it is needed
A practice to start and most probably abandon
Elena: Taking care of my body.
Aljaž: Exercise.
Vida: Reading or writing in the early morning before breakfast?
Dora: Writing diary
Elena B: Training in the early morning before breakfast?
Tiziana: We will see…
Antônio: Making ambient (electronic) music
Ola: Learning French (damn it!)
A seed to plant in 2026
Elena: Awareness.
Aljaž: No-saying. But it’s so hard.
Vida: Proposals to friends to collaborate! and flowers in the garden, again (that was a nice achievement of 2025!)
Dora: Dahlia, I received some seeds.
Elena B: Poppy seeds, growing in concrete cracks <3
Tiziana: Many seeds, real and metaphorical! Most of all love seeds… hopefully
Antônio: Serenity
Ola: My papyrus seedling!!! And stating to write to write the book
3 changes you would like to make in 2026
Elena: Be aware of my own choices, build something new, follow my intentions (ahaha impossible)
Vida: Write regularly – Choose and fix lights in the house – Write down notes from books more often!
Aljaž: One would be enough – to end the madness of the world today.
Dora: Chickens? (siiii, V)
Elena B: Figure out how and with whom and where I want to live, which will probably take 4 more years, but it’s a start.
Tiziana: Spend more time in Topolò. Be more impervious to external (negative) circumstances/people. More open to the unexpected.
Antônio: Maybe get back into studying Slovene, to have less stuff, to learn something from someone from Topolò (Aljaž could teach me how to play the guitar;)
Ola: Finding a gallery representation, working as an illustrator more, making more decisions.
Thank you for reading us! <3