archatlas:
Wicker Landscapes
The population of Canamares in the Spanish province of Cuenca lingers at just below 600, but for five months each year, it transforms into a dreamscape of red and orange. Wicker, or mimbre in Spanish, grows in bamboo-like stalks from November until May.
featureshoot found these exquisite photographs of wicker cultivation in Canamares in Offset’s rich collection of photography, and yearned to know more about the history of the forgotten basket makers. The dearth of information we were able to uncover speaks to the diminishing role of natural wicker, which takes more effort to maintain than the popular synthetic versions.
The wicker of Canamares harkens back to a time when artistry took precedence over convenience. Wicker is an ancient material, dating back to ancient Egypt. It was so precious, in fact, that the pharaoh Tutankhamun was buried with wicker furniture.
Via