“FRIENDS” On The Wall & “FRIENDS” On The Couch

This October 1972 occasion was Coop Cooprider’s 36^th birthday (on left).  The friends on the couch are Ingrid and Walter Nermerich, owners of “Alt Landstuhl Restaurant” in Landstuhl, Germany home of the famous Chateaubriand.

“Friends” on the wall is an amazing work of art by internationally collected artist Antonio Diego Voci (1920-1985).  The painting was purchased from the private collection of Jawdat and Joy Naffouj, art dealers also in Alt, Landstuhl.  “Friends” has been on Coop and Patti’s walls as they moved around the world ever since.

Coopriders now own about 8 dozen or so Diego art paintings; several are earmarked for selection into a Major Museum Diego Retrospective once a generous benefactor comes forward. 

Three great places to learn more about Diego:

1. Google “Diego Voci” then click “Images”
2. Wikipedia: “Antonio Diego Voci” 
3. Diego Voci Project website 

NOTE: Coop Cooprider is the volunteer Diego Voci Historian.

#PICASSO’S SOUTH: #ANDALUSIA

Installation view. #Museo Picasso Málaga http://www.museopicassomalaga.org/

#Picasso and the South (from article http://artdaily.com/news/108192/Museo-Picasso-M-laga-opens-the-exhibition–Picasso-s-South–Andalusian-References-#.W7y7TvZFyUk)

Picasso’s influence and contribution to the history of #20th-century art is undeniable.  The exhibition uses several premises to support the idea that Picasso never ceased to be interested in the origins and traditions of painting, in much the same way as his migrancy bound him emotionally to his homeland, never shedding his loyalty to his cultural ties: #Málaga, #Andalusia and #Spain were all part of his “southernness”, and not just in artistic terms.

DIEGO Voci, an #artist who also thrived in the “South“;  #Andalusia region and connected deeply with the people.  Helga Voci (widow of DIEGO Voci (VOH-chee) shares in writing from her #memories….“So we decided to go to Spain in October 1961. We took the car and went southward, stopped in several cities and after about 1 month we arrived in the Andalusia region in a very beautiful little fishing village called #Almunecar. This was an artist`s colony, all kind of artists from different countries.
We stayed until January 1962. We had a beautiful and very interesting time with long discussions, Diego also made paintings and drawings but he never kept anything, when the painting was finished he was not interested anymore and made presents to friends. He was very popular among the Spanish people also the higher class and he felt wonderful.” 

DIEGO Voci; “Liegender Akt” D2811-641 60x80cm Private Collection

Experience more with Diego;  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Diego_Voci#Southern_Europe_and_London

YES! ANOTHER DIEGO_VOCI ORIGINAL #CLOWN!

In 1977 Renate #Naviglio met Diego at the  La Gondola Restaurant (*) in Ramstein, #Germany.   So many clowns! Each one with a distinctive personality!

Diego Voci: “Clown Devant La Fenetre” oval #571-687, oil on canvas

Renate displayed it proudly at her home in Böhlstrasse 30, 673 Neustadt on the #Weinstrasse in #Deutschland. Renate paid 950 DM ( Deutsche Mark) for this clown and his friend the “Clown in front of the window“).

Where are Renate and her 2 Diego clown friends today? (*Gigi , La Gondola’s owner and Diego were best of friends – see where Diego painted Gigi into the #Albrecht family’s “Clowns” https://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-voci-antonio-diego-voci-3984818/Page12.html#69089 .

In the late 1980’s, somebody stole the classic Diego clown from the #Cooprider Collection.                              There is a $30,000 reward for its return unharmed. https://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-voci-painting-of-the-week-5154118.html#53438
See the $30,000 reward video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/T3ODYMxxBdc 

Diego Voci #Historian Coop Cooprider is on a search for its return to his personal collection. Contact The Diego Voci Project at diegovociproject@gmail.com and    Purchase the few select clowns left from the Diego Voci Estate: https://www.diegovociproject.com/product-page/title-les-clowns-avec-pigeon

SEND US YOUR #PHOTOS and #MEMORIES OF #DIEGOVOCI

The #Cooprider family has never been distant from #ART. My mom Patti, an #ArtHistory Major, is having a show this weekend – with just a #Taste of her talent being shown in La Jolla, CA. Patti and my dad Coop raised us in Europe and always made sure we appreciated the cultures and the arts of each country we visited. My parents both studied Art – and even with seven kids we traveled, they traveled, seeing museums and collections we never dreamed of seeing in person. They continue with their passion of the “#Arts.” Check out my mom Patti’s Gallery Show link: http://www.1210gallery.com (FB, too).

Below are 2 photos. First shown are my dad Coop Cooprider (Diego Historian) with my 6 siblings (I took the photo in ‘72) with one of their first Diego Oil #Paintings up on the wall. “Friends” was bought from Naffouj’s Private Collection (see our heading on WordPress).

“Friends” by Diego with the COOPRIDERS, 1972

Antonio DIEGO #Voci is just one artist who graces my parents walls today in their home in California 40 years later. Best, here is the 2nd photo of my mom, #Diego, my younger sister Kendra– and myself #Kami – shown below. Diego took time (not much – maybe 5 minutes) to sketch for me my own personal “Clown.” It hung on my walls for many years. During my many moves over the last 40 years though – it disappeared.

Diego sketching a #CLOWN for #KamiCooprider, with mom Patti and Sister Kendra, ca mid 70’s

#TRIVIA: a point often overlooked in old photographs where Diego was captured there might be a hidden DIEGO we can identify – notice the “Flower” Painting in the top right corner? It could be the one that belongs to this day to the “Dr. Ogden Brown” family in Colorado. “Petit Fleurs” is one of the numerous DIEGO artworks in their family collection. https://www.pinterest.com/diegovoci/

“Petit Fleurs” by Diego Voci, PC. Dunne-Brown

Do you have old photos with DIEGO in them?   Send them to us: diegovociproject@gmail.comcom or post on Facebook “Diego Voci”

Search DIEGO VOCI on YouTube and GOOGLE

AC DV History #206 9/6/2015