Stephan Vanfleteren photography at Het Scheepvaartmuseum

For the poignant photo series "Angels of the Sea," Belgian photographer Stephan Vanfleteren portrayed vulnerable boys aged six to 16 attending the maritime training institute Royal Work IBIS in Bredene, Belgium. The impressive portrait series shows children from complex family situations in their traditional sailor suits.

Safe home port
The maritime school offers the boys a safe home where structure and human warmth are paramount in the spirit of the time-honored maritime tradition, translated into a modern context. The IBIS boarding school offers the children a home, care and, above all, a future.

'When you look into those eyes, you look into a sea of future. And the coast is safe,' said photographer Stephan Vanfleteren.

Angels of the Sea
Stephan Vanfleteren (Belgium, b. 1969) is one of the most well-known and acclaimed photographers of the Low Countries. In collaboration with Het Scheepsvaartmuseum, Vanfleteren is showing the entire portrait series "Angels of the Sea" for the first time. The exhibition will be shown together with historical photo and film material from IBIS at the Amsterdam museum.