Déjà-vu
Elgersweier, 2023—Ongoing

You may have enjoyed pralines made from dark chocolate, filled with an aromatic Piedmont cherry, marinated in liqueur? In Piedmont, however, hazelnuts are harvested for confectionery production, while the 18–21 millimeter large cherries are imported from Chile and Eastern Europe. They are also imported from Elgersweier in the Ortenau region, the place where I spent the first twenty years of my life.

An almost Mediterranean climate allows cherry tree plantations in Elgersweier to thrive. According to legend, the Black Forest cherry brandy has its origins here. Primordially, a third of the Elgersweier communal district was forested, but it was cleared at the beginning of the 19th century. Nowadays the village with its 2,526 inhabitants is bordered by a commercial area with global companies that offer around 6,500 jobs. A further expansion of this industrial site is to be prevented by a local initiative whose aim is to maintain the quality of living in Elgersweier.

This is a preview from the wider project. A detailed portfolio is available on request.