15 images Created 16 Jun 2014
Victor’s Lonely Paradise
I met Victor when I took my first photographs at the age of 25 years. He was the head of communication of Von Roll, a major steel company in Switzerland and I needed his permission to photograph their wrecked down factories. To my surprise, Victor Bader gave me not only his permission, but also his support. Later I learnt that he also helped many artist, such as Jean Tinguely and Daniel Spoerri, by giving them access to the machines and ressources of the Von Roll factories.
A few years after our first encounter, I met Victor Bader again when I went to a holiday in Tuscany. At that time, he and his wife Hedwig Ramseier, a former prison director, were running an Agritourismo called „Casa al Sole“. It was a coincidence that led us to the hotel in the remote hills of a small village called Montieri. Victor and Hedwig moved there from Switzerland in 1998 and for 10 years they successfully ran their agritourismo. They served guests from all over Europe, cooked for them, taught them how to ride horses, and produced around 750 liters of olive oil every year. We became friends and so I visited Victor and Hedwig regularly. I celebrated my 35th birthday with them, we had great dinner and a lot of wine. „You are a damn fool“ Victor told me at that evening. „You are waisting your talent as a photographer.“ I was working as a creative director for a advertsing agency at that time.
Two years later I received a letter from Victor. He wrote me that Hedwig was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 2008, Victor had to bring her to a nursing home in Switzerland, where he visited her several times a year. With both their pensions invested in their estate, Victor struggled to produce the money for the cost-intensive care for his wife, living his life at a subsistence level. But he was not willing to give up the Agritourismo, even when Hedwig passed away in 2015. Victor was often alone with his cats, dogs and horses. I visited him again in 2014 and stayed with him for a week. He was proud to hear that I had quit my job in advertising and was working as a photographer again.
Victor passed away in September 2016 while he was visiting relatives in Switzerland. When I went to the Casa al Sole in November, some of his cats were still there. I spent about an hour on the property. When I was driving away, I saw one of the cats standing in the gateway, squinting into the sun. I got out of the car and took my very last picture for this story about my friend Victor, who is responsible that I am working as a photographer today.
Year: 2014 - 2016
A few years after our first encounter, I met Victor Bader again when I went to a holiday in Tuscany. At that time, he and his wife Hedwig Ramseier, a former prison director, were running an Agritourismo called „Casa al Sole“. It was a coincidence that led us to the hotel in the remote hills of a small village called Montieri. Victor and Hedwig moved there from Switzerland in 1998 and for 10 years they successfully ran their agritourismo. They served guests from all over Europe, cooked for them, taught them how to ride horses, and produced around 750 liters of olive oil every year. We became friends and so I visited Victor and Hedwig regularly. I celebrated my 35th birthday with them, we had great dinner and a lot of wine. „You are a damn fool“ Victor told me at that evening. „You are waisting your talent as a photographer.“ I was working as a creative director for a advertsing agency at that time.
Two years later I received a letter from Victor. He wrote me that Hedwig was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In 2008, Victor had to bring her to a nursing home in Switzerland, where he visited her several times a year. With both their pensions invested in their estate, Victor struggled to produce the money for the cost-intensive care for his wife, living his life at a subsistence level. But he was not willing to give up the Agritourismo, even when Hedwig passed away in 2015. Victor was often alone with his cats, dogs and horses. I visited him again in 2014 and stayed with him for a week. He was proud to hear that I had quit my job in advertising and was working as a photographer again.
Victor passed away in September 2016 while he was visiting relatives in Switzerland. When I went to the Casa al Sole in November, some of his cats were still there. I spent about an hour on the property. When I was driving away, I saw one of the cats standing in the gateway, squinting into the sun. I got out of the car and took my very last picture for this story about my friend Victor, who is responsible that I am working as a photographer today.
Year: 2014 - 2016
