Summers is an ongoing series of photographs exploring the idea of the idealised memory or fantasy of the summer. All the images are real-life moments; nothing is staged and no AI was used.
A summer vacation by the seaside has become the absolute must-do, especially after the rise of mass tourism in the post-war 20th century. Idealised as the fun and relaxing places one dreams about the whole year, vacation destinations represent a version of paradise on earth. Memories, fantasies and reality amalgamate in one’s mind and result in a constructed reminiscence or a dream that might or might not have something to do with the actual moments spent or planning to spend on a summer break.
The project started years after an extensive summer assignment around southern Europe. Certain moments and situations resonated with Manos’ own longing for these places and his idea of a perfect summer as a youth. The images are not necessarily narrative or descriptive of the place. They’re dealing much more with the notion of escapism into an ideal summer.
