Hi Elena ! How are you feeling today and why?
Today I woke up on a typical Italian sultry hot summer day. I was clever enough to push my body out of bed for an early run into the shady woods. Running brings me always to a mindset where I am able to clarify my ideas and at the same time allows me to take the time needed to plan head my schedule or reflect on where and how to approach the nearest future. At this very moment I feel very calm and glad of where I am and who I am with, even though my body is literally melting.

Where do you put a lot of time and energy in?



What is the intention behind your project STUDIO BONOMIA and/or your artistic practice?
I am devoted to unleashed the meanings of conviviality. Whether is hidden behind a traditional kitchen tool, an Italian proverb or a recipe my wish is to give a different and more inclusive interpretation of them in order to establish a significant open encounter with people..


How does your awareness for and relationship to the environment (human/non–human) influence your artistic practice?
I am currently questioning what’s the purpose of thinking, creating and bringing to life new objects. I found myself somewhere at the point between being very inspired and willing to produce more while having to realised that as a designer and artist I feel the urgency of being more mindful about the environment that surrounds me, whether is the city or the mountain landscape, human or non–human. All of a sudden I am no longer developing pieces or ideas and searching for a specific new material but quite the contrary, given what I have and what are the resources I am able to find in my proximity I develop my projects accordingly. I am constantly being told that it is a challenge but for me this is the only way of being and fulfilling my artistic practise from now on.

KIKU KIKU aims to rethink the ways of how energy can be exchanged. What other forms of exchange of energy than physical trades have you been exploring within your practice and in what other possible forms are you interested in for the future?



What are your hopes for your practice/project for the future?

You will find the (cooking) aprons handmade by Elena Braida for her project STUIDO BONOMIA in our webshop.
Photographs by Francesca Lucchitta and Elena Braida !