The Human Library invited us to participate in its latest edition

On October 28th, the third edition of the Human Library was held at the Residenza Lago Scuro in Cremona, Italy. It featured the participation of Vicente Todolí, who offered a deep and intimate conversation about the connection between art, agriculture, and knowledge—fundamental pillars of the Todolí Citrus Foundation project.

The Human Library is a dialogue format that invites participants to “read” people instead of books. Each guest participates as a “human book,” sharing their experience directly with the audience in close conversations that foster reflection, active listening, and openness. The aim is to create meaningful encounters that allow questioning preconceived ideas and opening new perspectives. In this context, Vicente Todolí’s contribution offered a unique view of the intersection between art, agriculture, and territory.

During the event, he shared how working with the land and cultivating citrus fruits has influenced his way of understanding creative processes. The Foundation, which preserves more than 400 varieties of citrus, constitutes—in his words—“a living archive where biodiversity meets creativity.”

Some reflections emerged throughout the talk:

“In agriculture, time is not on your side..”

“The land has taught me a lot about my relationship with art: it has shown me distance..”

“Nature doesn’t leap. Art does.”

Vicente Todolí emphasized how the patience required to cultivate and observe nature is also reflected in artistic processes: “The patience of agriculture mirrors the patience of creation — both require time, care, and curiosity.”

He also recalled that just one or two decades ago, it would have been unthinkable to develop projects that connected art and agriculture so directly: “It all started with land art.”

The session concluded with a reflection on how to make culture grow—literally and metaphorically—through the union of territory, sensitivity, and knowledge. A conversation that left attendees “with their feet on the ground and inspired, between soil and soul.”