The baffling appeal of the candy-coloured waterpark: Massimo Siragusa’s best photograph

‘The woman in the black swimsuit seems to be gazing out at a scene of natural wonder. But she’s standing in a fake sea – and looking at an artificial island’ Italy has some of the most beautiful natural beaches in Europe, so I find it fascinating that so many holidaymakers choose to go to places like the one in this photograph: a strange manufactured island with plastic palm trees. This image is from a series, Leisure Time, that was important to me. I started it at a time when I had lots of personal problems, in 2006 and 2007. I needed to do something that would change my vision, my way of seeing the world, and even to some extent reinvent myself. I have always been interested in landscapes, cities, and the relationship between people and the environments they inhabit. The theme I decided to work on was mass tourism. I wanted to open our eyes to this strange aspect of modern life: the fact that people prefer to spend time at some artificial park or beach, rather than visit a real one.