Ettore Macchieraldo
My name is Ettore Macchieraldo, I am 55 years old and I am a social woodworker.
My practice operates at the intersection of fine craftsmanship, critical design, and a profound civic commitment. For me, wood is not merely a material; it is a tool to explore the relationship between the individual, the community, and physical boundaries.
Training and the Roots of The Culture of Making
My technical rigor is rooted in the Lombard cabinetmaking tradition, yet it has evolved through a multidisciplinary path:
• Technical Specialization: Between 1995 and 1998, I earned my certification as a Wood Carver from the “Giuseppe Terragni” Vocational Training Center, Meda, Italy.
• Artistic Apprenticeship: I refined my craft as an assistant restorer at the Giuseppe Beretti Cabinetmaking Laboratory in Milan between 1994 and 1998.
• Professional Foundation: I graduated from the “Renato Donatelli” Scientific High School, Milan, Italy.
Learning by Doing: The Pedagogy of Making
I am a firm believer in the “Learning by Doing” method—a philosophy I champion to demonstrate that manual action is, in itself, a form of thought. Through my workshops, I transform woodworking into an educational practice that motivates young people—especially those at risk of dropping out—to rediscover meaning in study and design. To build something with one’s own hands is not just a technical feat; it is an act of reclaiming one’s place in the world.
The School Without Walls and the Ecomuseum
A fundamental pillar of my recent work is the collaboration with the “Scuola Senza Pareti” (School Without Walls) at the Trappa di Sordevolo, within the dell’Ecomuseo della Valle Elvo e della Serra (the Elvo Valley and Serra Ecomuseum).
In this context:
• I lead self-construction workshops that focus on local building traditions and the surrounding landscape.
• I utilize outdoor laboratory teaching to break the boundaries of the traditional classroom, fostering experiential and collective learning.
The Challenge of Parkinson’s: A New Resistance
In 2021, a Parkinson’s diagnosis marked the beginning of my “second life,” both artistically and socially. This personal challenge became the engine behind the “Senza Tremori” (Without Tremors) project, which I coordinate to turn fragility into an opportunity for resilience.
Today, returning to wood carving has a deeply therapeutic value for me, much like walking. While the condition attempts to strip away my control, the slow, deliberate stroke of the chisel restores it. It is an exercise in presence and care: carving allows me to find inner balance, transforming the vibration of the body into a new form of beauty through the use of scrap wood and offcuts—a metaphor for that which can always be reborn.
Experience and Vision
My work continues today as an educator and community organizer, centered on the belief that design must foster human proximity. From the “Long Bench” in Ivrea, Piedmont, to digital ecology workshops, my goal remains the same: to build bonds, not just objects.
