Rovinj is a city of immense history, culture and tradition, a melting pot of diverse sociological, geopolitical and cultural influences. Today, almost 1300 years after the city came into existence (6th century AD, after the disappearance of the island of Cissa), only the spirit remained. A good spirit. Its inhabitants like to talk about the culture that the city nourishes, but most of those talks use a past tense. The city created its most recognisable identity on the names and lives of various artists. Today, many ateliers were replaced by Chinese merchandise stores and artists with salesmen of lavender wreaths and other non-autochthonous souvenirs.
As artists, we have been spending our summers in Rovinj for the last 13 years. We had to create something for our souls (because we just had to get inspired by this beautiful nature, the sea, the islands) and for people who are visiting Roving as walkers, accidental passer or tourists.
Everything started in 2007. We opened an atelier in which everybody could find us honing, glueing, glittering, pigmenting, arranging pieces of our artā¦ During the next few years, we became a recognisable part of Sv. Križ street, and those same walkers and passers whoāre coming back to Roving, drop by Micica atelier for a chat and a laugh.
Today, Micica atelier became Ribica store, an upgraded version of the same inspiration. This time, we explored history, habits, and the locals. The story of Rovinj is complemented by various hand made in which every human being can find itself, either through past experiences or the present moment.
āTintoramaā is a real treat for everyone. Itās a Rovinj's sardine can in which we combine Rovinjās history captured on old postcards, newspapers and magazines, perpetuating the old stories that we later imitate in our today's vision of the past. There are also upgraded packagings of Rovinj sardines you can cut after eating and therefore make your own Tintorama.
In all its pleasures and enjoyable moment, Roving also bring a touch of recollection and melancholy captured in our hand made jewellery āMicicaā, with its Moglinas and floating watches. The time stops, moves rapidly, spins at its own will.
They say that in this era of selfie sticks we lost awareness of capturing the moment in its pristine form. We photograph a moment that we take a look at, once or twice, then share it or simply delete it. To make sure that doesnāt happen, there is āPekmezmedā that will place you on that same meadow, that same moss under a pine tree near a beach, or that same towel while sunbathing and sound the waves hoping you wonāt be back to work so soon.
And these beaches, filled with young, old, and all in between, they must not be forgotten. Todayās gay culture and the gay topic itself is an open question drifting between being a taboo and generally accepted. Hrvoje Majer and his original works inspired by the British Museumās Warren Cup, leave symbolism at its own will, trying to embrace all the eroticism this city has. Representation of young men in an erotic trance, summer strong erections, and thousands of smiles when cups and plates are seen is another example of what we want to provide to our customers.
You cannot miss that moment of pleasure when entering our Ribica Atelier, going through ivy filled with fireflies, to find your summer talisman, the talisman of a moment, of Rovinj, or yourself.
