i love having the opportunity and at times the know-how to do things the old-fashioned way. i think about it pretty frequently, especially when planning our garden, making our laundry detergent or dog biscuits, and working on various knitting projects.
i stopped the other day, though, and thought -- what a shame that producing things with one's own hands is now considered old-fashioned. ancient. a dying art.
alessandro venier's work has me reassured that people still exist who make their living + find their peace in these old-fashioned pursuits. the italian photographer's book "modern portraits of ancient crafts" was released in 2012. he spent a year + a half visiting more than 60 workshops in italy, photographing "endangered" crafts (like scultpure, beekeeping, boat-building + watch-making) and the artisans -- or "artigiani" -- who practice them. this series gives "diy" a new meaning.
the artigiani are "women and men, witnesses and architects of a world that, despite difficulties + modernization, continues to exist precisely where it always was," alessandro says. here are just a handful of his portraits:
carlo tassan, shepherd
gina zucchetto, seamstress
juri furlan, boat builder
luigi baratta, barber
patrizia torresin, basket maker
peter ventura, beekeeper
i hope alessandro's photographs inspire a new generation to pick up these "old-fashioned" skills + carry them forward.
*images are copyrighted alessandro venier + used here with permission. visit alessandro's website + behance.
