In the buildings of the IBIS maritime boarding school in Ostend that look out towards the sea, boys from six to sixteen sleep, eat and play. They learn how to read the sea, sail with a fishing boat and help haul in the catch. While the fishermen are at work, they observe the by-catch and stare across the deck. In the classrooms, the impetuous sea is captured in maps. On sea maps, there are no storms and there is no time.
The sea might seem timeless, but much is changing. The coast is permeated with nostalgia, as if the sea had turned its face to the past. Sooner or later the fishing fleet will disappear, together with many endangered species of fish. The fish auction hall of Ostend (BE) is in decay, the harbour coated in rust. Nonetheless, a new colour is appearing from underneath the peeling paint.
