A small town, which develops in relation to the river that runs through its length and its borders with five other cities. Development comes from agriculture, livestock, and the plastic and wood industries, always along the river and within its own territory.
In this young city, founded in 1962 but settled almost 100 years earlier by German settlers, the photographer travels through the region to capture images for his research of recent years, resulting in a book from this local road trip, although the journeys took place within the borders of the 107,571 km² territory of the municipality of São Ludgero, located in the south of the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil.
The itinerary starts from the center of the small city with approximately 11,000 inhabitants, and Klaus heads towards the riverbanks, photographing landscapes, places, and signs of territorial transformations.
In the carefully considered narrative, the author creates a poetic and fictional mapping, based on visual perception of the space, his experience of the place, but also his departures and returns. The photographer's experience with this territory is linked to memory and includes the weaving of his affections with the city where he was born.
For us, the result constitutes a historical and poetic document that not only positions us in relation to the local space but also guides us to observe an overview of this territory and its rural legacies, demanding that we go beyond the idea of progress that suggests a replacement of foundational elements or the growth of urban characteristics that nullify the natural landscape.
- Professora Dra. Lucila Horn
