For Rodolfo Liprandi, nature has always felt a little magical. Growing up in northeastern Italy near the Slovenian border, he spent his childhood surrounded by forests, tangled branches, and ever-changing landscapes. Over time, he noticed something most of us overlook — nature already comes loaded with stories. A crooked branch might look like a creature. A pile of shrubs might suggest movement or presence. The forms are already there, just waiting to be noticed.
Now based in Warsaw, Liprandi brings that instinct into his work, creating nature sculptures directly within forests and landscapes. Using trimmed branches he finds on site, he builds animal figures — wild boars, deer, and other woodland creatures — alongside more mythical beings like dragons or elves. The process is intentionally simple and deeply connected to place. No studios, no heavy tools, no elaborate setups. Just a quiet, ongoing conversation with the environment.
What makes his ephemeral sculpture practice especially compelling is its impermanence. These works aren’t meant to last forever. They weather, decay, and eventually return to the forest, completing the same lifecycle as the materials they’re made from.
One sculpture still stands out for Liprandi: a wild boar installed near the Soča (Isonzo) River about a decade ago. It marked the beginning of his artistic path — a kind of totem rooted in memory, landscape, and identity.
In Liprandi’s work, art doesn’t interrupt nature. It briefly joins it — and then quietly lets go. 🌿
Explore more on the artist’s Instagram.
