Branchwork: Designing Ephemeral Sculptures from Forest Forage

There’s a compelling design philosophy at work in the practice of an artist, Rodolfo Liprandi, who transforms foraged branches into dynamic, site-specific sculptures. Moving beyond the studio and into the forest, the work embraces a constraint-driven process where material, location, and temporal existence are the primary parameters.

The core principle is direct, sustainable sourcing. Every twig, branch, and trunk fragment is gathered from the immediate surroundings of the installation site, ensuring a zero-waste supply chain and a minimal environmental footprint. This hyper-locality isn’t just logistical; it’s fundamental to the sculpture’s identity, creating a seamless visual and material dialogue between the artwork and its habitat.

Aesthetically, the work walks the line between recognition and abstraction. While many pieces clearly evoke the forms of woodland fauna the construction method remains visibly apparent. The artistry lies in the assembly, where joints are left exposed and the natural twists of the wood dictate posture and gesture. This honest, architectural approach celebrates the inherent character of the material rather than concealing it.

The most defining design choice, however, is the commitment to transience. These are not permanent monuments. Conceived as ephemeral installations, they are left in situ to weather, fade, and gradually decompose. This acceptance of a complete lifecycle, from raw material, to crafted object, and back to the earth, challenges conventional design values of permanence and ownership, proposing instead a model of temporary, non-invasive intervention.

It’s a practice that began with a single, foundational piece: a life-sized wild boar constructed along a riverbank. That project established the core methodology and demonstrated the powerful, evocative potential of working with a landscape, not just within it. The boar became a totem for an ongoing exploration, proving that profound design can be temporary, locally sourced, and born from a direct, respectful collaboration with nature.