Signed, Stephan VANFLETEREN (*1969) - Atlantic Wall - 2017

This is a great opportunity to acquire a signed copy of the photo book 'Atlantic Wall' by the prominent Belgian photographer Stefan VANFLETEREN!

As always, Café Lehmitz Photobooks from Cologne guarantees precise and reliable descriptions, 100% transport protection, 100% transport insurance, and combined shipping – worldwide.



Background information on the signed photobook 'Atlantic Wall' by the Belgian photographer Stefan VANFLETEREN.

About the prominent Belgian photographer (*1969)

Stephan VANFLETEREN is primarily known for his black-and-white portraits and his depictions of Belgium and abroad. He studied photography at the Institut Saint-Luc in Brussels from 1988 to 1992. Initially, he mainly worked as a photojournalist for the newspaper 'De Morgen', where he also found time for stories beyond the headlines, such as the experience of riding in freight cars in the American Northwest. Additionally, he has written for, among others, The Guardian, Le Monde, Paris Match, de Volkskrant, and Die Zeit. To date, he has published over a dozen photobooks; his debut was 'Flandrien' (2005, 2006, 2010), followed by: 'Belgicum' (2007, 2016); 'Portrait, 1989-2009' (2009); 'Merckx 525' (2012); 'Fausto Coppi' (2012); 'The Last Post' (2013); 'Facades & Vitrines' (2013); 'MMXIV - Les Diables / De Rode Duivels' (2014); 'Charleroi: Il est clair que le gris est noir' (2015); 'Atlantic Wall' (2016, 2017); 'Surf Tribe' (2019); 'Present' (2019); 'Diary of a Photographer: Corona Walks' (2020); 'Present' (2020); 'Atelier' (2023) — some of which are also included in 'Photobook Belge. 1854 - now' (2019).



The decaying Atlantic Wall through the curious eyes of photographer Stephan VANFLETEREN.

During World War II, Adolf Hitler ordered the construction of a defense line along the Western Front coastlines. This Atlantic Wall, stretching from the French-Spanish border to northern Norway, consisted of bunkers, barricades, and coastal batteries.

In 2016, the Belgian photographer captured this over 2,600-kilometer-long wall in his well-known black and white style. He set up his tripod at various beaches in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, climbed rock faces in France, sailed through the fjords of Norway, and stood in the surf of Denmark to photograph the ruins of the largest military construction of the last century.

The photo series 'Atlantic Wall' is an almost unknown work by Stephan VANFLETEREN. The black-and-white images in this photo book illustrate the crumbling remnants of one of the last witnesses of World War II, the Atlantic Wall, which, when viewed from the north, stretched over 2,600 kilometers along the coasts of Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.



Content of the photo book 'Atlantic Wall' (2017)

With this photo series, Stephan VANFLETEREN showcases his fascination with the untamed architectural beauty of these concrete structures and the power of nature, which is gradually reclaiming these once deemed impenetrable buildings.
As in his portraits, the Belgian photographer uses space around his subjects; the landscape orientation of the book enhances the impact of the black-and-white images, which emphasize both the length of the wall and the coastline. Nevertheless, the nearly 1.5-kilogram volume fits wonderfully in the hand, and the print quality is simply superb.

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Hannibal Publishing, 2017. Bilingual Edition French / English.

Bound with an illustrated cardboard cover. 210 x 300 mm. Approximately 200 unnumbered pages with about 130 Duoton images. Each includes a text by Stephan VANFLETEREN ('Les cailloux de l'histoire / Pebblestones in History') as well as by Benoit Strubbe & Matieu de Meyer ('Le phénomène du mur de l'Atlantique / The Phenomenon of the Atlantic Wall') in French and English, one at the beginning of the volume and then as a conclusion.

Condition: The book is in very good condition inside and out. It was signed on the front by Stephan VANFLETEREN with a thin black pen across the entire page, with the full name!