There is a hazy sense of timelessness in the photographs of Paolo Ventura. The Italian artist makes images of what he calls “invented worlds” or “ir-realities,” using cardboard and found objects from flea markets and eBay to construct a universe of elaborate dioramas filled with tiny details, which he then photographs as though they were life-size. The result is a cloudy, undefined atmosphere where narratives play out like dreams, somewhere between fantasy and memory. Though placed in ambiguous settings, his work often references the period surrounding World War II, as well as fantastical stories told by his father, a children’s book author.