The residency program Skupaj na vasi concluded with the exhibition of the Stories from the Hill series at the 2026 exihibition of the festival Hiša na hribu.

“During his residency, Francisco Tomsich relied on his intuition and chance encounters with people from Žleb when selecting his subjects. Rather than a pre-determined selection, he was guided by conversations, his presence and personal contact with the locals. Five portraits were created during the residency – the maximum number that could be produced during his stay. He soon became a familiar part of everyday life at the parish house – a sort of ‘mascot’ for the place. The locals enjoyed stopping by, watching the works take shape, chatting with him, and their presence often served as inspiration for his creative process.

The resulting portraits, with their surface texture, are reminiscent of ancient wall frescoes that have been marked by the ravages of time over the centuries. Using his own artistic technique, Francisco Tomsich has created the appearance of cracks, wear and layers of material, making the works seem as though they have always been part of the space. These contemporary portraits thus establish a dialogue with history, memory and the materiality of architecture, blurring the boundary between the past and the present.”

Zvonka Simčič, organizer and curator, Hiša na hribu 2026