Stefan Vanfleteren, Belgian Magnum photographer

[Ivo_B]

Stephan is one of Belgiums Magnum photographers.
He is well known for his portraits and especially his series on Belgian Cyclists (Flandrien) is stunningly good.

But he really shines with the portrait he made of Theofiel A Belgian (Flemish) farmer.

Enjoy.

[Frans Waterlander]

The Theofiel photos are both beautiful, heartbreaking and borderline disrespectful. They give me the same uneasy feeling when I look at documentaries about poor or primitive people; where does the honest and compassionate reporting/interpretation stop and where does the exploitation start? Very touching and disturbing at the same time. Powerful work, to be sure.

[Ivophoto]

The Theofiel photos are both beautiful, heartbreaking and borderline disrespectful. They give me the same uneasy feeling when I look at documentaries about poor or primitive people; where does the honest and compassionate reporting/interpretation stop and where does the exploitation start? Very touching and disturbing at the same time. Powerful work, to be sure.

I understand to what you point and recognize it in some photographic work. Not in this case. Stefan’s work aesthetically lifts the man and his environment beyond that sentiment.

it lays all in the viewers projection

[farbschlurf]

Interesting work, thanks for the link.