Almost 40 years ago, Lt. Col. Richard Cummings purchased “Indian” from Antonio Diego (referred to the biography written by Joy Gibson) at the Ramstein AFB in Germany. Receiving memories on how Diego collectors purchased Diego’s works of art adds to the history of Diego Voci and becomes a part of the Diego Voci Legacy.
Be a part of the Diego Voci Legacy, share your memories to diegovociproject@gmail.com or visit Diego Voci Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diego.voci
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
Diego Voci; Arlequin avec Mandoline #161-428, oil on canvas 60x80cm
Ltc. Leigh Ogden purchased this painting back in 1976 in Ramstein, Germany. Who owns this painting now? Where is this painting? Contact the all volunteer project team at diegovociproject@gmail.com.
Diego Voci loved music, he hummed while he painted quotes Helga Voci, widow of Diego.
To Learn more about Helga Voci and all of her wonderful memories of Diego, visit: https://www.diegovociproject.com/helga-and-diego
Frau Strauss was the original owner of this wonderful impressionistic landscape by internationally collected artist Antonio Diego Voci (1920-1985). Will the present owner please contact the Diego Voci Project http://www.diegovociproject.com
Diego Voci “Die Wanderer am Wegrand”; 50x60cm, #11802-113
“Die Wanderer am Wegrand”; 50x60cm, #11802-113 purchased by Helga Strauss November 21, 1980 at La Gondola Restaurant in Ramstein, Germany. Last known address for Helga Strauss is Theodor – Heuss – Allee 153, 6630 Saarlouis – Steinrausch.
Please note the yellow string was to hold the painting when this Polaroid image was taken.
To learn more about Diego and Restaurants, visit “Dining with Diego Series” :
Part I: https://diegovociproject.wordpress.com/2015/06/12/dining-with-diego-in-germany/
Part II: https://diegovociproject.wordpress.com/2015/06/18/dining-with-diego-part-2/
Part IV: https://diegovociproject.wordpress.com/2015/12/01/dining-with-diegovoci-part-4-lagondola-restaurant/
Le Sphinx; oil on canvas; 80 x 60 cm, #9802-095
Diego loved the “creative spirit” of “Surrealism”, a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for its visual artworks and writings.
Diego’s muses were women…..“A man look at woman… this is cerebral feeling. Venus is love god … who made her? In reality Venus never existed. I like for example fat woman … that’s the way I build Venus. Or I like the skinny woman … that’s the way I build Venus. If I am important enough, that’s enough to influence 90% of the world.” DIEGO, 1974.
Diego loved his visits to Paris. The title of this particular painting is “Le Sphinx”. Le Sphinx was a brothel opened in 1931 in Paris. In 1946, France outlawed all brothels. Le Sphinx was among the most expensive and best known maisons de tolérance in the Paris of the 1930s
This painting was purchased on September 9 1980 by Captain Kenneth Zielmanuski (in Ramstein, Germany). Do you know where this painting is now?? Contact diegovociproject@gmail.com.
“HELGA and DIEGO” by Helga Voci
Chapter 5 #Wiesbaden, #Germany. 1968 Marriage in #Denmark.
“In Spring 1965 Diego wanted to go to #Germany and we came to #Wiesbaden where he had been living for sometime with Josiane, his ex-wife. We both liked Wiesbaden, so we rented an apartment in #Sonnenbergerstrasse. It was a beautiful place, we got it for a very low price, but had made a contract for 5 years and agreed to renovate it. So for at least 6 months we were living in the middle of sand, concrete, and tiles. But at the end we had a beautiful high ceiling living-room with open fireplace, fantastic new bathroom and a beautiful Studio. We had hand-painted and gold-plated dining-room furniture which I still have today and many beautiful paintings.
In this period #Diego found the Gallery Dahms in Wiesbaden where he exhibited and sold many paintings. He still made caricatures from time to time in #Wiesbaden, #Heidelberg and #Ramstein. There he met Joy Naffouj, a Canadian gallery owner, who was exhibiting different artists in an art show. She was very interested in Diego’s work, so he started to give her some paintings and drawings on commission.
Since his work was selling very well, they both made a contract: so many paintings for so much money per month. I believe this was when #Diego began signing with the name”Diego.” Before he had mostly signed A.Voci (Antonio Voci) or D.Voci (Diego Voci). It worked quite well.
We finally decided to marry, which we did in January 68 in #Denmark. As #Diego did not have to bother anymore about how to sell his paintings, we decided to spend the winter in the Canary Islands. We took our car in December 1968, with lots of canvases and paints of many colors. We went to #Barcelona and took the boat to Puerto del la Cruz (#Tenerife). We rented a little house on top of a big house with a very big terrace. We had a beautiful view over the ocean. We had wonderful 6 months. #Diego painted each day. Once a month we made a roll of the canvases and sent them to Joy and Jadat Naffouj in #Landstuhl, Germany.
In March 1970 the contract of our apartment in #Wiesbaden finished, the house was supposed to be sold, so Diego had the idea to move to Italy. In March 1970 we ordered a shipping company, deposited our furniture in #Bavaria at my parents` place and left for #Italy. We went to several places and finally rented a villa in Riccione at the Italia Adrian seaside. Diego was painting and still sending his paintings to Naffouj Gallery.”
AC DV History #38 6/15/2010
AC DV History #158 11/20/2013
Jerry Caruso wrote to Artifact Collectors on January 27, 2013 that he was interested in selling his Diego landscape, see image below.
Jerry shares,
“We were at Ramstein Air Base from 68 – 74 and have a Diego landscape. The painting is oil on canvas and is approximately 24″ X 36″. We are open to selling it, if you are interested, please make an offer.”
The Diego Voci Project responded but, it seems because it was only a “Guest” post instead of registering as an Artifact Collectors Member (it’s free), everything is lost somewhere in cyberspace.
The official Diego Voci Archive needs more historical details on this painting. We can tell it is from the late 60’s and probably came from Joy and Jawdat Naffouj by the frame and the “J” by the serial number. During this time-frame of 1968-74, DIEGO was represented by Canadian art dealer Joy Gibson beginning in 1965. Joy’s business was located in Zweibrucken, Germany and located near with the Canadian Air Force Base, it was there where she met Jawdat Naffouj then soon moved to Ramstein / Landstuhl where they established a gallery and got married.
Please contact us diegovociproject@gmail.com or visit www.diegovociproject.com.
AC P of W #110 2/4/2013
In a previous blog (PART 1) we sent you to “Da Sandro’s” in Weingarten (near #Karlsruhe): https://diegovociproject.wordpress.com/2015/06/12/dining-with-diego-in-germany/
In another area of #Germany, a logistic triangle of delightful Italian eateries in Germany, each about 25 minutes apart, received regular visits by internationally collected artist, Antonio Diego Voci (1920-1985).
In #Kaiserslautern, is“Firenze” filled with Diego artwork which will be featured in a later blog.
In #Ramstein, “La Gondola” (now closed with the passing of Diego’s close friend “Gigi”. More later.)
In #Pirmasens, this blog features“Da Mario’s” (formerly “Ciccio’s”). Enjoy a dining experience where Diego savored fine cuisine with red wine and a finale of an espresso or two and his ever present cigarette (Diego passed of Lung Cancer in 1985).
You can sit today with one of the friendly creations of our super star Diego:
Perhaps you know of another restaurants #Diego visited?
Let us know: diegovociproject@gmail.com
More on Diego at www.diegovociproject.com
AC DV History #202 6/19/2015
…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
diegovociproject 
