‘Transcripts of a Sea' by Stephan Vanfleteren in MSK

For years, he has been recording the tides of the sea, the phases of the moon, the seasons, weather forecasts, and so on. In the meantime, he has gotten to know all the weather forecasters (for the weather report, not personally, he adds). In the same notebooks, he also began to make sketches and jot down musings, because when you are alone by the sea, you are confronted with yourself. These notebooks are the transcripts referred to in the title of the exhibition. You can view them at the end of the exhibition. Due to his fascination with the sea, Vanfleteren imposed some limitations: the distance had to be limited to one full tank of gas, and he focused only on the North Sea within the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

MSK Gent, ©Sonny Plasschaert

Transcipts, ©Sonny Plasschaert

Seascape-Sunset, James Ensor ©Sonny Plasschaert

Sometimes he drove to a location at night but failed to capture the planned image due to clouds obscuring the full moon. Other unforeseen circumstances, such as scratches, mist, and droplets on the lens, led him to accept and utilize these challenges. He realized that while he initially wanted to capture the sea realistically, its capriciousness cannot be easily reproduced. This resulted in a series of photographs that reflect how he sees the sea. He says, “The sea immerses you in a world that is not your own. Perhaps that's why I like to visit it, like a lost traveler being swept away by the current.” For the exhibition, curators sought works from artists who faced similar struggles with the sea.

Sea by Stephan Vanfleteren, ©Sonny Plasschaert

The Breakers, Jan Toorop, ©Sonny Plasschaert

Storm by Stephan Vanfleteren, ©Sonny Plasschaert

People waiting to get the publication signed by Sephan Vanfleteren

Vanfleteren dislikes comparisons of his photos to paintings, but it’s interesting to place them alongside works by artists like Géricault, Toorop, and Ensor. The exhibition route features themes like the Sea as Atelier, Surf, Storm, and Abstraction. It also marks the farewell of Manfred Sellink as director of the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent. “I am proud to bid farewell with ‘Transcripts of a Sea,’” says Sellink, who admires Vanfleteren’s work. The opening attracted over 3000 visitors, with many following via livestream. The museum remained open until midnight, and books were signed until late.

More info: www.mskgent.be. The catalog (€25) and publication by Hannibal Books (€79.95) are available in the MSK bookshop.