Lost Summer consists of 44 black and white portraits of north London teenagers. From June to August 2020, once lockdown had eased, Alys Tomlinson photographed young people whose proms and end of year celebrations had been cancelled due to Covid-19. Instead of being in the usual settings of school halls or hotel function rooms, she captured them all dressed up in their gardens, backyards and local parks.
The portraits illustrate the poignancy of a lost summer for teenagers who were unable to mark this significant step in growing up and leaving school. There is a quietness to the images and a merging of the inner and outer worlds, the psychological and physical. The images represent a loss and longing, but also celebrate each teenager as an individual, navigating this uncertain and challenging time.
Three images from this series have been shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize 2020. As well as this the work will be exhibited HackelBury Fine Art once restrictions have been lifted and will run until March 2021.
Alys Tomlinson : Lost Summer
190 x 240mm
Hardback clothbound
44 tritone images, 96 pages with foil cover
£30
http://www.alystomlinson.co.uk/books/
