Mobile Photography Intimate Interview with Massimo Bortolini from Belgium

I had two ambitions. One was to be a football player. Everything ended on a grey windy rainy morning, I was 10. For weeks I had been asking my father to register me to the club near our home, and one day he told me, ‘we are going to the club!’ I was so happy… It was the summer holidays, the club administration was closed and my football player career ended that day, because we never went again. I used to play football at school and in amateur leagues for years, but never much more than this.

The second ambition was to become a writer. I was about 15 and I saw a television series – Jean-Christophe – with Klaus Maria Brandauer in the role as an unsuccessful writer who tried again and again to be published. That romantic figure attract me. I began to write at that time and I never stopped. In January, a new little aphorisms book will be edited. I like short texts (short stories, tales, aphorisms, etc.).

At school, at 13, I won a prize in the German class.

More seriously, the first recognition was the first book being published. It was in 2011. I was 50. I thought it was a good moment, I dared to send text to an editor. It was a sort of first life overview. From then I published (and translated) some others.

Bookkeeper. I studied economic’s at secondary school. For two years, I worked in the chemical society. I had to do my military service; it was obligatory at that time; so I know that the job would be for a short period. I didn’t want to be in the army, by conviction and then I begin the procedure to be recognized as a conscientious objector. I did civil service in a hospital, the duration of it was 50% longer than the normal duration of the military service, 18 months.

Public school. I went to the nearest school from my home. In Belgium, there are not really private schools – except for expats like the British school, the European school or let’s say religious schools; but these are exceptions – since the called « guerre scolaire » in the ’60, we have a public school system and a libre/free school system  (more than 90% catholic) which coexist ; both are funded in the same way by the State (since 1989 by the autonom official linguistic communities (Francophone, Flemish and Dutch) the teaching programs are similar and you can have religious courses in both systems. In Belgium, to choose a school is more often based on the reputation of the school, rather than on a  philosophical basis.

After my civil service, I returned to look for a job. It was difficult, so I had a lot of small jobs: cleaning offices, selling apples, renting apartments, … always for some weeks or months. Then I found a job in an organisation, where I created the documentation centre. I began training to become Documentalist. I worked and went to the high school in the evening/night for four years.

My grandmother and Georges Perec. My grandmother because I still remember her telling me ‘enjoy life because it passes very quickly’. A common sentence, I know, anyway as I cannot stop time, so I try to enjoy each day.

Georges Perec because of his book « L’infraordinaire » in which he questions the quotidian, the everyday life, saying that we should look to the endotique (I don’t know what is the word in english) in opposition to exotic, look to the banality of what we live and see everyday, but because we live and see that everyday, we finish to not see anymore. That’s what I try to catch with my photos, the detail that we don’t see.

I stopped playing football at 50 (I am 58), because of my knees. Then I began to run. I try to do it as often as possible, in addition to giving me a good physical condition, it’s a moment that gives me the possibility to think, to imagine stories to write. I used to run almost every day, but since last May, I’ve had a long series of eye surgeries and during the recovery period, physical efforts or sport are forbidden. I will have another surgery next January… so I imagine that – hoping it succeeds – I will have to wait till March to run again.

Work. I will use another common sentence, ambition or talent without working are nothing. As if I had to choose, I would say ambition, because it gives you some goals. « Bad » (money, public recognition, …) or « Good » (to dare to finish something, …) goals; bad or good being of course personal judgements, I know. Anyway, I think that without working, ambition or/and talent do not mean anything.

I am less than I used to be. I already mentioned my non-violence philosophy of life; when I was younger I was more politically active than nowadays. I have never been member of any political party, but I participated in collectives or groups which were in a way a political commitments (giving time to help homeless people, to give post school lessons to children with difficulties, taking part to demonstration or strikes, etc.). Today, even if I continue to do some of those things, I guess that a sort of wariness makes me less active than before. Anyway, for 35 years I have worked in an organisation involved with (im)migration issues and ethnic minorities rights. It’s a job, of course, but not only.

Patience and/or serenity.

I guess buying books again and again.

Alone in front of the sea or with friends sharing wine and blabbing.

To continue to write and publish some more books.

To print more of my photos, and maybe exhibit some.

It depends of what we talk. Becoming a grandfather recently, I would say to see and enjoy that new family generation and see my children facing that new responsibilities and life. And also waking up in the morning and enjoying the day that is beginning. Facing adventures that are waiting around the corner. I like to be surprised.

I guess not to be too ashamed of what I became. It’s commonplace to say that when we are young we have dreams. After years, sometimes, we may have taken another way, may changed in a « wrong » way regarding these dreams of what and how we will be later. In that perspective, I guess that I can face myself without too many regrets. And, as I mentioned earlier, to have grandchildren, even if I haven’t done anything for it.

People who shuffle their feet. I cannot bear that. The noise of the shoes on the ground, but also to imagine that someone cannot even not be able to lift their feet.

I already mention part of this before. I guess he would say Not bad. But… try again.

The wedding ring of my mother.  Just before she died, she gave it to me. I wore it around my neck, with a little golden chain. I was attacked in the street some years ago, and in the fight, I lost it.

Distribution of wealth as well at the local and at the global level. I think that if it is not done, we will have to face massive revolutions; like what’s beginning to happen in different places today ; and repression with the risk of undemocratic system, maybe local wars that can degenerate in global conflict.

Another one is to take more care of nature and the environement.

With the years, it becomes a common question, but, I have no idea. What I do know is that I am surrounded by what I could call ghosts. I regularly feel presence, sometimes things disappeared for some days and reappear some days later, sometimes I know that somebody/something is close to me, watching me. Do I create them ? Are they real ? Is it only my imagination ? Am I the one who hid those objects ? No idea. Maybe. Maybe not.

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