While most people see tree branches, twigs, and shrubs, Warsaw-based artist Rodolfo Liprandi sees raw materials for creating sculptures. He transforms found forest debris into larger-than-life animals and mythical creatures, shaping forms that look as though they’ve grown straight from the forest floor.
Liprandi grew up in northeastern Italy near the Slovenian border, where the surrounding landscape was a constant source of inspiration. Around a decade ago, he created his first sculpture—a wild boar—for a festival, installed along the Soča River. Since then, his talents have taken him across Europe, creating commissioned sculptures directly within woodlands, parks, and gardens.
From a towering dragon that appears to flow up from beneath the park floor in Estonia to a giant otter resting along a riverbank in Norway, each ethereal sculpture adds a sense of magic to its surrounding landscape. Every piece is made entirely from the materials he finds on site, keeping his environmental impact to a minimum.
For a recent commission on Italy’s Bologna Montana Art Trail, Liprandi created a looming mythical faun, complete with devil-like horns. The incredible work appears seated on a grassy bank, but it also looks like it could come alive and stand up at any second. “Made entirely from local branches, the sculpture becomes an incarnation of the mountain itself: a symbol of wild nature, the mysteries of the forest, and the stories the Apennines hold,” says Liprandi, “A benevolent guardian, who watches travelers and accompanies them along their journey.”
Check out the artist’s incredible sculptures below and find more of his work by following Rodolfo Liprandi on Instagram.
Warsaw-based sculptor Rodolfo Liprandi transforms found forest debris into larger-than-life animals and mythical creatures.
Every sculpture is made entirely from the materials the artist finds on site, keeping his environmental impact to a minimum.
Liprandi works across Europe, creating commissioned sculptures directly within woodlands, parks, and gardens.
Each enchanting creature looks like it’s grown straight from the forest floor.
