The roots grow and the branches open to the wind

2025

When a tree grows, its branches stretch out and embrace ever-larger portions of the sky. This image speaks of expansion, adaptation, and rooting, concepts that are perfectly intertwined with the evolution of the carpenter figure. Just like the trees from which they draw matter and inspiration, woodworkers have also been able to amplify, transform, and reinterpret the very concept of carpentry.

“The roots grow and the branches open to the wind” investigates how the figure of the carpenter has changed over time.

Research interweaves rediscovery and innovation, going to recover ancient knowledge, but also explore how new technologies, environmental needs, and artistic approaches are redefining the boundaries of the craft. Today’s carpenter is not only a craftsman, but often a designer, restorer, artist, or sustainable innovator. A witness of a long history that continues to grow, like a tree that, although firm in its roots, stretches its branches towards new heavens.

In this dialogue between past and future, wood becomes a bridge between generations and territories, and carpentry is an act of creation that speaks not only of objects but also of identity.

“The roots grow and the branches open to the wind” is part of a commissioned project funded by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies through the Si Può Fare network.

I imagine each wood as if it were a human figure, breathing life into their essence and giving them a soul. The spruce tree, for instance, I see it as a vigorous youth, tall, strong, and swift, with a fresh, resin-scented spirit and an eagerness to rise ever higher toward the sky.

−Marco −