ONLY IN PARIS

Diego Voci; Sacre Coeur oil on canvas 17″ x 13″

Chapter Two: Helga meets DIEGO in Paris. In Helga’s words:

“My girlfriend and I decided to go back to Paris in January 1960 to study for another period. Shortly after that I met DIEGO one Sunday afternoon my girlfriend Eve and I were sitting in a very famous coffeehouse which was frequented by many artists: Les Deux Magots.“

“Suddenly the famous Italian sculptor, Gigi Guadagnucci (whom we had already known from before) entered together with Diego (had never seen before) and they came to sit at our table. We had a nice chat and some time later they left.“

“I didn`t see DIEGO for several weeks and then one day I was in a Bank to change some money when I heard a voice behind me….”Mademoiselle Helga…”, I turned and saw DIEGO behind me and he said: “Can I give you a lift with my car?” I must say at that time I had met many artists who were quite poor, they were all seriously working, they mostly had small ateliers, no comfort, happy when they sold a painting, and then invited the others. And when they didn`t sell – just eating bread and black coffee. Nobody had a car, in fact DIEGO was called: “el pintor con coche” (which means- the painter with a car) . So, when I heard DIEGO inviting me in his car I thought: this man is showing off, besides the car he was very well dressed, like a businessman. So I said: “I have to go to school and it`s very close, I can walk there, I don`t need a car.” Finally he convinced me to sit in his car and he explained to me that he had seen me, left the car outside the Bank at a corner (double-parked) in order to follow me and that he had to move the car.“

https://www.blurb.com/b/10242206-diego

DIEGO’S MUSE; HELGA VOCI

Chapter One: Who is Helga Voci?

“I was born in Prag, Czechoslovakia in 1939, just before the war started. My parents were Germans, at that time many Germans had been living in Czechoslovakia for generations. When the war started my father had to join the army and he was killed in 1941 in Russia, my maiden name was Drössler. In 1945 all Germans had to leave Czechoslovakia (because Hitler had lost the war) and we were brought to Germany, my family to Bavaria.“

Diego Voci; “Praq / Tschechien” oil on wood; 80x56cm painted in honor of Helga’s heritage

NEXT: Helga meets DIEGO in Paris

3RD DIEGO BOOK IS COMING AUGUST 10TH!

“DIEGO AT WORK IN STUDIO”
We know very little about this photo of our YOUNG DIEGO or of the amazing painting he was in the midst of creating. The only identifying marks on the image from Helga’s Shoebox were “Clinoggia – Italy 66112”. We presume the photo was taken in the very late fifties or early sixties, perhaps in Italy

CONNECT WITH US
FIND YOUR SPACE – FORGE YOUR CONNECTION Bringing together the Next Generation The Diego Voci Project  where we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Diego’s birth (August 10th). This year marks the 100th year since the Master’s birth in Gasperina Italy. This summer set your sights on a Diego experience. Engage with our passion, and experience the beauty of Diego. The Diego Voci Project is growing a community of people, art and ideas.  Find your space.From Masterpieces in oil to Tempera and Watercolour, there’s plenty of faces to discover. In recognition of this once in a lifetime occurrence we are creating a book titled Diego The Artist of a Thousand Faces. Enjoy the celebration and this video about the art of Diego in Diego – Artist of a Thousand Faces from Stephen Max

Visit our Social Links often for details of our “Special Events” in honour of Diego’s™ Centenary which will be published in future Newsletters.
Enjoy browsing The Diego Voci Project Gallery of fine art here

THE #JOURNEY OF “L’ARLEQUIN TRISTE” BY #DIEGO UNFOLDED

Diego Voci; “L’Arlequin Triste” oil on canvas #5812-174

This painting L’Arlequin Triste by internationally collected artist Antonio Diego Voci (VOH-chee 1920-1985) was wrapped in packaging for 40 years (owned by the original owner of Talbert’s Kleine Galeria in Tacoma, WA.).

Days ago… this painting L’Arlequin Triste arrived to its new owner, packing material removed and looks as if DIEGO had just finished painting this piece.

From the archives of Helga Voci, she shares her words her travels with Diego during the 1980’s to the United States. “On that trip in 1980 we went to N.Y. and Philadelphia where Diego has family still today. We also went to Tacoma, Washington, where Diego had an exhibit in a gallery called – Talbert`s Kleine Galerie in Gig Harbor, WA. Then on to San Francisco, New Orleans, Albuquerque. And again we drove to Colorado Springs. Along the way, we visited with many American friends we had met in Germany. At several places, we had private shows. We both liked the United States very much.” https://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-history-4330818/Page2.html#44298

To view additional paintings by Diego Voci in a similar style:

WIDOW OF ARTIST DIEGO VOCI, A MUST READ BY HELGA!

What Christmas meant to Helga Voci.  This says more about Helga than we have ever known. 

From Helga;

“In my family Christmas was always a very traditional , also sentimental and familiar festivity with a lot of food preparation and each year it had to be the same dinner, as fish soup, carp with homemade potato salad and different other salads, big dessert. I remember my mother was cooking for 2 days and some weeks before Christmas she started with special Christmas cookies and Christmas cakes and nobody was allowed before Christmas to try them. We always spent the Christmas days with the whole family in Bavaria, it was cold and all covered with snow and at midnight we used to go to church, it was a small and cosy village church and it was very nice.

When I first knew Diego in Paris he was not a big fan of Christmas, I think he had been too long away from his family, mostly vagabonding through the world, then he became acquainted with Josiane, his first wife. She was from Genevra, her father had a cottage somewhere in the mountains and they went there in wintertime, skiing and probably also for the Christmas festivities.

The first year with Diego in Paris we decided to go and live in London, just before Christmas I left Paris and went to Germany to spend the Christmas days with my family, Diego, instead, left for London. At that time he did not yet know my family and he wanted to meet them another time. We stayed about 10 months in London and as it was raining a lot he wanted to leave and drive towards the south, as far as possible. So we landed in Almuniecar, a small village in South Spain, rented an apartment  and stayed for about 6 months there, it was beautiful and warm but no Christmas atmosphere, I wanted a Christmas tree, and as there were no such trees growing there we went to Madrid(about 500 km or more) and bought a nice Christmas tree, packed it on the car and transported it to the South. Then later on we mostly spent the Christmas days in Bavaria with my parents and my sister and her family and my grandmother and Diego also liked it, he liked to be in the family and he liked our tradition.

Later on , when Alessandra was born and Lakshmi, our Indian housemaid stayed with us and we lived in Taunusstein, my parents also used to come to our house for Christmas, always with the same tradition. One year we had a very big Christmas party in our house (see image below), together with Christine and her family, Keyvan and Liliane Dussard with her children, my parents and Lakshmi, there is a foto we made at that time, it was a very beautiful party.

And then in 1985, a few weeks before Christmas Diego died, within 6 weeks and this year was my and my daughter`s most awful Christmas.!”

DIEGO VOCI PRECURSOR TO #BASQUIAT?

Diego Voci; “Untitled” Abstract oil on canvas ca. 1966

Amazingly this painting by internationally collected artist Antonio Diego Voci (1920-1985) appeared this year for sale online for $150. Basquiat aficionados at first sight declared it to be a Basquiat, if so he (Basquiat) would have only been 6 years old. See the (above & below) similar impromptu strokes of the brush bringing unrelated shapes and lines together in a strangely beautiful work of art.

Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) artworks are in demand by the big time art collectors worldwide, selling in the millions of dollars to acquire. Once a lover of #AndyWarhol, Museums covet Basquiat / Warhol collaborative works.

Warhol & Basquiat above Basquiat above

NOTE: Coop Cooprider, Diego Voci Historian, has certified the work shown here as authentic Diego, circa 1966 that’s when Diego left the prestigious Schlossgalerie in Zurich, and moved to Germany, home of his lover and wife to be Helga Drossler. Helga Voci, Diego’s widow still living in Germany confirmed “Yes”, it’s a Diego. He was always experimenting.” There he affiliated with 2 galleries, Naffouj Gallery in Landstuhl and Galerie Dahms in Wiesbaden. The Diego work shown here is one of the very first with the “Diego” signature. Joy Naffouj convinced Diego that since “he” is known by Diego, sign the work “Diego”. Before the “Diego” signature, he signed some form of Voci (https://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-history-4330818.html#43343).

LA REVEUSE “THE DREAMER” FOR SALE #EBAY!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Diego-Voci-painting-titled-La-Reveuse-1982-in-Acrylic-and-Pastel/352673551735?hash=item521cfb5577:g:Z8AAAOSwt0pc4EO4

A Diego Voci drawing (D-5822041) in Acrylic and Pastel on board purchased in 1982-83 Ramstein Air Force base in #Germany.

Wiesbaden Germany is a city of culture and beauty. Tourists from all corners can be found walking and shopping on the famous Wilhemsstrasse. It is there that Siegfried Dahms displayed magnificent works by DIEGO in his luxurious gallery space.

Here are two pages from a 1979 catalog designed by Adolph Merkt, Taunusstein (the town where DIEGO’s widow Helga continues to live in the home where she and DIEGO lived and worked). The words are those of Herr Dahms.

“DIEGO creates works of art which are full of expression and timeless beauty, which deeply impress and fascinate people with its exceptional appeal, and instill the desire to possess.

DIEGO is one of the few artistic personalities whose paintings really appeal to people. They understand, they get excited about, and they really enjoy living with DIEGO’s art. The beauty of his paintings and the desire of possession are often so immense that people gradually acquire more and more of his work. DIEGO buyers soon become DIEGO collectors.”

To Learn more about inspirations to dream about; https://www.pinterest.com/diegovoci/

#DIEGO CAPTURED #FEELINGS IN #BEAUTY!

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Paintings by Diego Voci; oil on canvas. These images of the originals sent by Helga Voci, widow of Diego Voci (1920-1985) are old faded polaroid photos.

View more Beauty in this book published by Stephen Max in Canada https://www.blurb.com/books/5419805-the-beauty-of-diego

A RARE DIEGO MOMENT CAPTURED…

…In 1972, 12 years after Helga Drössler was introduced to Diego in Paris at the famous artist filled café, Les Deux Magots.  Diego and Helga remain intimately connected with each brushstroke until his death in 1985.  In this great candid photo in his home studio in Schwetzingen, Germany, Diego had already painted over 1000 oil paintings on canvas with Helga.  Diego is intent and surrounded by all that he truly loved, his paints, brushes, a canvas and most importantly, his wife Helga.  (VOH-chee)    https://youtu.be/_WUYmz0Jkc0 

This letter was written by Helga Voci, widow of Diego Voci. She sent this letter when she sent the photo of the two of them.

DO YOU #KNOW #WHO OWNS THESE #PAINTINGS?

Diego Voci; Paintings (unknown Collectors or Titles to works)

These images come from a #box of #photos that Helga Voci, widow of Diego Voci, sent to us from #Germany.

One by one, members of (The Diego Voci Project) post these images on #social #media with the hope to locate the whereabouts of these #lost paintings.  With a #vacuum of no information from 1985-2007, all 4000 #oil #paintings by Diego Voci were out in the world somewhere.

Collectors who purchased from Diego before he passed away (in 1985) were enamored by the #magnetism of Diego and his works.

Today, in 2019, we have located approx. 1200 of those works.  Please help us locate the 1800 + out there in the world somewhere.  Contact us https://www.diegovociproject.com/contact