The photographic exhibition “Patriarchs of Nature – Extraordinary trees of Italy”

The photographic exhibition “Patriarchs of Nature – Extraordinary trees of Italy”, conceived and curated by Bracco Foundation and Associazione Patriarchi della Natura in Italia, is dedicated to our centuries-old trees, stupefying natural works of art.

The exhibition proposes an itinerary in Italy from north to south, in 22 leafy stages, one for each region: from the ash of Pont Sec in Valle d’Aosta, more than three centuries old, to the wild olive of Luras in Sardinia which has more than 3000 years. A narrative in images and words to discover the “Patriarchs of nature”, so-called for their extraordinary age: the longest-lived of all living species, centuries of history have unwound beneath their branches.

The 22 protagonists of this exhibition are beings with sinuous shapes, with stupefying beauty. Their monumental trunks and lush foliage recall surprising natural works of art, a limited but important representation of the rich biodiversity of Italy.

The ancient plants have been silent witnesses to social and environmental change, which have marked the territories in which they still live. This bridging role between past and future has even more significance today, in an area of which lives in a delicate suspension: they are in every way a memory of our history, to hand down intact to future generations.

Life on the planet depends on the ability of plants to capture the energy of sunlight and convert it into chemical energy, which every organism needs to survive. So not just a memory but also sustainable “life devices” that allow us to breathe. If we go beyond the narrow anthropocentric view, woods are for example also the stable “foundations” of the soil and regulators of the water economy of a territory.

Exhibition venues:

• From April 22 to June 5 - Bracco Group, Milan
• From June 10 to June 17 2023 - Coop Lombardia di Settimo Milanese
• From March 26 to April 5 2023 - Villa Annoni in Milan, Cuggiono
• October 2022 – Museo del legno in Milan, Corbetta
• From July 14 to August 18  2022 – Idro Ecomuseo delle Acque di Ridracoli in Bagno di Romagna, Forlì Cesena
• From October to December 2021 - Museo botanico Aurelia Josz in Milan |
• From July 14 to August 22, 2021 - Triennale Milano | Viale Emilio Alemagna 6 | opening: Tuesday – Sunday, 11 AM to 8 PM (last access at 7 PM)
• From January 29 to June 30, 2021 - CDI - Centro Diagnostico Italiano | via Saint Bon 20 – Milan