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.“
diegovociproject 