When I Voyaged throughout Puglia, it became obvious that the Olive Tree is king here–and has been for thousands of years. There are more ancient olive trees here than anywhere else in Italy, many of which are hundreds of not thousands of years old. What is intriguing about these gnarly giants is their bizarre, fantastical shapes, often twisting and turning about themselves, even when the interior of the tree is gone, they continue to live.
One can regard the resulting shapes as one does when finding animals and babies in passing clouds… but these shapes aren’t going anywhere.
This particular olive tree was given the name L’Ulivo Pensieroso (the Pensive Olive Tree) by photographer Michele Grecucci. What is he thinking after living on this Earth for over 500 years? Is he forlorn about the loved ones and neighbors he has lost over the centuries? Does he miss the children who used to play at his feet? Is he worried about the future with blights, wars, drought or fire? Is he simply pondering, worried, concerned or trying to unravel a problem of the ages? Perhaps we’ll never know…
The photo was captured near Ginosa, Puglia but in order to retain the olive grove owner’s privacy–and to protect the tree from damage–Grecucci is keeping its precise location a secret.
Grecuci’s photography captures the essence of Italy and being Italian. I highly recommend taking a tour of his work. To see more of Grecucci’s creations…
Facebook: Michele Grecucci
Website: Michele Grecucci Photography
Instagram: @michelegrecucci.
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