Summer Meetings. Conversations of Middle-Aged Men

In any resort town during summer, residents walk more, grumble about the heat and sun, but happily meet friends and stroll leisurely. Summer in the city is about old friends reuniting against the backdrop of familiar streets, chatting about everything and nothing. It starts with hugs, coffee, and a cigarette in the shade of a big tree at a small cafe, followed by casual conversations. Bright sunshine, memories, the scent of the heated city, and reminiscences about everything. Even very grown-up people become a bit childlike in summer. The project draws attention to the themes of Social Connection and Society. Social Isolation. As people age, they tend to close off and reduce their social contacts. Especially post the COVID-19 epidemic, people have distanced themselves, leading to issues of social isolation, loneliness, and losing touch with their social environment, impacting mental health. The project highlights the vibrancy of emotions that arise when people walk through a summer city and the importance of meeting and communicating. Through the lens of a camera, I showcase the importance of communication and direct human interaction. Location: city center of Odesa, Ukraine - 2023 Models: Boris Bukhman and Boris Barsky Summer Meetings. Conversations of Middle-Aged Men - a project within the summer international project “Summer in the City”, part of an association of independent photographers under the curatorship of Katarina Mikhrin. The project was presented in Cologne on October 28, 2023