Surf Tribe

by Stephan Vanfleteren

With Surf Tribe, photographer Stephan Vanfleteren shows that there is far more to surf culture than just sport and competition. Surfing is also about a deep admiration and respect for the ocean, as well as the feeling of insignificance when confronted with the forces of nature. Surfers use the waves for fun, but also to forget and to battle, both with others and with themselves.

Vanfleteren looks beyond the traditional borders of the United States and Australia and searches the globe for people who live in places where sea and land meet. He documents a fluid community, with nature as its sole leader. He has sought out young talent, living icons, and old legends, both competitive and free surfers.

The photographs here are serene black and white portraits in Vanfleteren's well-known, haunting style; as always, he reaches below the surface and goes to the core of his subjects. Included, amongst many others, are Kelly Slater, Gerry Lopez, John Florence, Mickey Munoz, Filipe Toledo and Stephanie Gilmore.

Surfer, journalist, and actor Gerry Lopez has contributed the Foreword.

Surf Tribe has been exhibited in Knokke-Heist (Belgium), Kunsthal Rotterdam (Netherlands), Gallery Kahmann Amsterdam (Netherlands). The next exhibition will be in June 2019 in France. If you are interested in the stories behind the book, go

Genres: Nonfiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2018

About the author

Stephan Vanfleteren is one of Belgium’s most renowned photographers. Among the general public, he is mainly celebrated for his penetrating black and white portraits of people from all walks of life, from artists and actors, to surfers, fisher- and sportsmen. However, his oeuvre is much more diverse than that. Starting his career as a press photographer, Vanfleteren made captivating photo reports about the events that dominated the news of the 1990s, such as the genocide in Rwanda, the war in Kosovo and the Dutroux affaire in Belgium. Later on, he began to elaborate a variation of themes in extended photo reportages, going from storefront façades to a journey along the mythical Atlantic Wall.

For his most recent work, Vanfleteren withdrew into his studio to focus on his own version of classic themes such as nude portraits and still life photography. In the latter, entitled Nature Morte, he portrayed dead animals (in colour) he found near his home. Where most of his images are very time phased, this series marks an evolution in Vanfleteren’s work towards a more timeless approach and subject matter.

Reviews

[Jorik Breban · Rating 4 out of 5]

mooie prentjes!

[Evelyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even when not a surfing 🏄 fan or not knowing much about surfing the images are very striking . Highly recommended to any photography lover

[Karl · Rating 3 out of 5]

If were not for the book title. I would not know. They were surfers.

[Murielle Dhont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah wat een pareltje ook

[Philippe Verlinden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephan Vanfleteren doet waar hij goed in is: ingetogen portretten in zwart-wit. Ditmaal over surfers en dat zijn blijkbaar zowel afgeborsteldeatleten als harige alternatievelingen, man en vrouw, jong en oud. Helemaal mijn ding!
5⭐️