#DIEGO VOCI FINAL ONE-MAN SHOW, DIED 43 DAYS LATER

 

It is well known in art history that Amadeo #Modigliani in his lifetime (1884-1920) had only one gallery solo exhibition, which was shut down by the police the first day. According to one source, #Modigliani painted 354 oil paintings before he early death.  He died poor.  The last sale of a #Modigliani this month (May 2018) sold for $157 million. 

 

#VanGogh painted, by one estimate, 900 oil paintings and never had a gallery solo exhibition and sold only one painting in his self-chosen-short-lifetime (1853-1890).  He died poor. The last #VanGogh sold for $81 million at Christie’s in November 2017.  In 1990, a #VanGogh went for $130 million.

 

Internationally collected artist Antonio #Diego Voci was born the year #Modigliani died  (1920-1985), #Diego Voci had several one-man exhibitions, painted about 4,000 oil paintings in his lifetime and sold most of them to collectors from all over the world.  “The Diego Voci Project” has been searching since 2009 to find them and catalog them for historical purposes.  Link: https://www.diegovociproject.com/

 

Here is the newspaper write-up in Germany about #Diego’s final exhibition.  He died of lung cancer 43 days later on August 10, 1985. 

 

ALESSANDRA, DAUGHTER TO DIEGO VOCI, REMEMBERS

“When you cannot use words to let people know you what mean, use colors and draw a picture” words by Diego Voci

Alessandra and Lady (Diego’s favorite dog)

Alessandra shares… “I can remember when daddy was drawing when I was child. When daddy was working I often was at his side and watched him how a new painting was born. He was smoking his cigarettes and tell me stories. I learned a lot of different techniques on how to draw a picture. When daddy got a painting in his mind, he was in his own world. I learned a lot of what Art can be. He once said to me “when you cannot use words to let people know what you mean, use colors and draw a picture”. He was my personal philosopher, that was my childhood.”

Alessandra, adored by Diego, gave him enrichment of life, until lung cancer took him from her at her age 11.

To see more of Alessandra and Diego, click here https://www.artifactcollectors.com/diego-history-4330818/Page7.html#102960

 

YUL BRYNNER DIED OCTOBER 10, 1985 LUNG CANCER. DIEGO VOCI DIED DECEMBER 10, 1985 LUNG CANCER.

Yul Brynner knew in advance – nicotine was killing him and wanted to caution you.

DON’T SMOKE!

DIEGO SMOKED 40 CIGARETTES A DAY

Diego Voci; Paintbrush in one hand and in the other always a lit cigarette. 

Artist Diego Voci was a Man of the People

Helga Voci, Diego’s lover, wife and confidant from 1960 until his death from lung cancer (chain smoker), wrote in her biography, her memory;

“Diego played cards with the Fishermen”

Here is an example of Diego’s memory of 3 Fisherman we found in an old faded Polaroid from 1974.

“Fisherman” # 151-195 60x80cm purchased by Mr. Thomas

To learn more about the life of Helga and Diego: https://www.diegovociproject.com/helga-and-diego

#CRAFTBEER #TATOOS AND NO SMOKING

…are a runaway trend in today’s “#New_Generation”…

Does the artwork of a long-dead artist fit into the lives of the “New Generation”?  Tastes change with time. For example, the constant smoking of internationally collected artist Antonio “Diego” Voci (VOH-chee, 1920-1985) would not be welcome in today’s trendy gathering places where no smoking is allowed.  40 cigarettes a day shortened Diego’s life when his lungs gave up.  45 years ago, at the La Gondola in Ramstein, Germany smoking was accepted. That’s where I dined with Diego on several occasions.

A good red wine, a tablecloth with an ash tray would be Diego’s setting as he perused Italian fare on Gigi’s menu.  Diego was most comfortable with extraordinary people in an ordinary setting, playing cards on the Mediterranean with fishermen in some poor village.  Diego’s specialty was portrayal of people.

As Victoria Williams wrote in 1974: “In the South, DIEGO says, people live their lives more openly.  They are more observable.  They gather in groups to talk on the street, they play games in their yards; they sit in the parks, – lovers, strangers, the poor, the rich, mothers, fathers, children, happy people, sad people, – people who have experienced – who are experiencing.  PEOPLE … living, feeling, being… these are the subjects of DIEGO.  He interprets freely on canvas what he has experienced.”

“An Italian under the rule of the Sun DIEGO paints richly.  He is drawn to living colors – warm, bright, dramatic.  His paintings radiate.  Like DIEGO, they dominate the space around them.  They demand attention.”  

One thing has not changed.  Art remains very much in the lives of our current generation.  Tattoos today are a fine art, very personal and proudly displayed on the aficionado’s skin rather than a canvas on a wall.  (Notice on The New Yorker cover the small of the lady’s back above the belt line).

The “New Generation” is not blind to quality and value. There are about 4,000 oil paintings signed “Diego” on 2 continents and some of them are appearing at absolute bargains. So be on the lookout.

GOOGLE, “Diego Voci” for more!

Happy Holidays!

Coop Cooprider, DIEGO Historian

DIEGO VOCI PROJECT