John Manno's Journey into "Misbegotten Places"

Photography, for me, has always been a way to reflect on the layers of memory and place that shape our understanding of the world. Over the past 15 years, I’ve poured myself into a project that has not only redefined how I think about photography but also how I think about the very nature of reality itself. The result of that journey is Misbegotten Places, a body of work that explores the interplay between memory, landscape, and perception, all through the lens of small-scale dioramas I construct from my own photographs.

Retrospective

The Essence of "Misbegotten Places"

At first glance, my dioramas might seem like simple recreations of places I’ve photographed over the years. But they are far more than that. Each diorama is a reimagined world—a space that feels both familiar and alien. Creating them is not merely about assembling tiny pieces of a larger puzzle. It taps into something much deeper.

The images I capture often blur the line between reality and imagination. They serve as a visual commentary on how memories can shift, distort, and evolve over time. This interplay forms the backbone of my work and invites viewers to explore their own perceptions.

The Making of "Misbegotten Places"

My approach to this project has always been as much about the process as the final image. I start with photographs I’ve taken over the years. Many of these capture the mundane, the overlooked, or the forgotten corners of the world. I deconstruct these images—cutting, folding, and reassembling pieces until they become something new. This transformation evokes an emotional landscape rather than a strictly literal one.

The process is painstaking but immensely rewarding. Each diorama comes together both physically and emotionally. Creating is akin to building a memory, where the details may not be exact, but are shaped by how I feel about a place or a moment in time. By manipulating the images, I don’t just recreate a scene; I reshape my understanding of it.

Layers of Meaning

As I work, layers build up—both in the physical structure and in emotional depth. What emerges from this artistic endeavor are photographs that feel both familiar and unsettling. You might recognize the places depicted, yet there’s always something slightly off. This hints at deeper truths beneath the surface.

These images represent worlds that occupy a liminal space, where reality and memory merge. These dualities challenge viewers to confront their own relationships with memory and place, often stirring feelings of nostalgia or disorientation.

A Meditation on Memory and Loss

Misbegotten Places isn’t just about abandoned buildings or forgotten landscapes. It’s a meditation on memory itself. Each diorama encapsulates how we hold onto places in our minds—how they shift and change over time. The title speaks to that sense of misplacement. These are locations that seem out of time or space or have lost their way.

There’s a certain beauty in decay. In this change, there’s often a sense of longing—a desire to hold onto something that can never quite be reclaimed. What I hope viewers take away from these images is the feeling of being in a place that feels familiar yet strange. A place that exists only in the mind, where time, memory, and reality blend together seamlessly.

The Commitment to the Long Road

What began as a simple project has evolved into something vast. The commitment to Misbegotten Places has spanned 15 years and has been both an emotional and creative journey. There were moments when I wondered if I would ever see it through to completion. Looking back, I appreciate that the act of persistence itself has been just as critical as the final product.

Art takes time. True meaning and depth come not from haste but from allowing yourself to sit with a work—living with it and letting it evolve. Misbegotten Places has been that for me: a long, winding exploration of memory, loss, and the spaces in between.

Capturing the In-Between

In these dioramas, I try to capture the essence of places that often remain unnoticed. They highlight how our surroundings can evoke profound feelings and memories. By constructing these miniature landscapes, I seek to create a bridge between the past and the present.

This dual capacity of art allows for both reflection and reinterpretation. It encourages viewers to look deeply into their own memories, stimulating emotional responses that resonate on a personal level.

See the Full Series

I invite you to explore Misbegotten Places in its entirety. Visit my website at www.misbegottenplaces.com to view the full series. Whether this is your first encounter with my work or you’ve followed the journey from the beginning, I hope these images resonate with you in a way that feels personal and evocative. Each photograph is a fragment of a larger story, one that continues to unfold, just like memory itself.

— John Manno

Explore the Essence of Memory in Photography: Engage with how memory can distort reality. Remember that our experiences shape the way we see the world, much like the dioramas I create.