A Lifetime’s Work
It’s not often you get the opportunity to talk to one of your heroes, but I did, and want to share with you the awesome chat I had with Giordano Viganò. He’s one of the most refined Italian ebanistas, that is, an artisan whose specialty is working with ebony (ebano in Italian), and other highly valued timbers. Based in Novedrate, a tiny town 20km north from Milan, he’s been working with wood for more years than double my age.
When I set foot into his workshop, I was struck by how big the space is. It’s around 1500sqm and filled with all the machines and workbenches a woodworker might want. As well as surprised, I also felt a bit nostalgic. You see, this man has been in the business since the 60s and at one point had up to 14 workers.
