Richard Boll’s photograph I see the boys of summer is currently on display at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London.

The image is constructed from multiple photographs taken in Spain in June, 2024. The scene reminded Richard of summers spent with friends on the Isle of Wight in the 90’s. The image depicts a happy, sunny scene, but contains elements of somber reflection. Richard lost two very dear friends in recent years, and this image is, to some extent, a celebration of their lives and a meditation on their passing.

The title is taken from a poem by Dylan Thomas that touches upon themes of nostalgia and the cyclical nature of life and death. Though this is by no means a literal interpretation of Thomas’s work, there are notions within the poem that resonated with me whilst producing the piece.

Full details of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition are available here: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/summer-exhibition-2025