☰ WICKER
Knowing the Land
Cabeceiras de Basto, August 2024
from wicker to basketry with basket maker Joaquim Pereira |
We started Knowing the Land project with craftsman Joaquim Pereira from Outeiro, learning how to transform the stems of trees from the Salix genus (willows, osiers, weeping willows) into baskets and other flexible constructions, as well as the strips of green shoots from chestnut and oak trees.
We learned pruning methods so that these trees can sprout every year with the most vigorous stems. We also collected materials from various parts of each plant, from the thicker trunks to the thinner branches, and even the expressive barks. Not even the bramble and blackberries were left behind. In the meadow, we also gathered bundles of reeds that can be used for more flexible weavings.
Now we are focusing on the establishment and management of plantations of trees and shrubs for the production of high-quality rods, and their transformation into useful objects and structures for everyday life in rural areas. We are experimenting with durable, flexible, and resilient weavings that can support considerable weights and prove useful in housing construction contexts.
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