Courage to face life on canvas – The power of art in all stages of life
Her paintings are titled "Nevertheless" or "Indescribable." "Bittersweet," "Pain Energy." But also "Garden Happiness," "Heaven and Earth." And then there is "The Dragon of Longing." Cato-Irmela Diez is a prolific, talented painter who knows how to convey her entire emotional world in color on canvas. For her, painting is a process in which she finds herself. Nineteen of her works are currently on display at Wiesbaden City Hall.
Colors have special meaning for them. Cato-Irmela Diez lives in the Eigenheim district of Wiesbaden, where EVIM also has houses with serviced apartments. There is an active neighborhood management team there, which Cornelia Baumbach brings to life as coordinator for assisted living. She brings people together and offers them support. This was particularly important during the coronavirus pandemic: seniors received guidance on how to use digital devices, for example, to keep in touch via Zoom calls or to take advantage of cultural offerings. Such as Torsten Anstädt's "Gute Stunde" (Good Hour) from HumaQ, which brought concerts and other cultural highlights into living rooms. Cato-Irmela Diez always enjoyed this.
Biographical film shot
Always open to new things, she also took part in a biography project in which she and other participants were able to portray their lives in a short film. Cato-Irmela Diez did this with the help of her pictures. She showed many of them in this film, especially her "tree of life" inspired by Hermann Hesse's poem "Stufen" (Steps). This in turn impressed Torsten Anstädt, who was able to arrange for Cato-Irmela Diez to show her pictures to a larger group of people for the first time. And that was in probably the most central location in Wiesbaden: the foyer of the town hall. This space is always open for exhibitions by Wiesbaden citizens, associations, and institutions, but it is also always fully booked. Now, however, the space belonged to Cato-Irmela Diez for a week, who was visibly proud to be able to show 19 of her paintings here, which are also available for purchase. Many companions, relatives, neighbors, and friends were there to talk to the painter and enjoy her riot of colors to the beautiful music of Wiesbaden native Ako Karim. Cato-Irmela Diez has also painted to Karim's music.
A (women's) movement life story
The Wiesbaden native can look back on an eventful life story. Like most people, it has not been without crises and low points. Painting has always helped her through these times. She worked for many years in the family business, which sold carpets and wallpaper, and later took over the management. She became active in the women's movement and worked at the women's bookstore for a time. Then she began to paint seriously, which helped her through periods of serious illness and the death of her parents. At that time, her paintings were already on display in the town hall: on the third floor, in the office of the municipal women's representative. After more than 20 years, her paintings have now returned to the town hall. In the meantime, she has adopted a pseudonym out of deep inner conviction: "Cato" is inspired by a resistance fighter in the Third Reich, Cato Bontjes van Beek, who was executed by the Nazis at the age of 22. Her strong faith, her courage, and her humanity—until the very end—impressed the Wiesbaden native, who opened her exhibition resolutely and confidently, yet overwhelmed and moved.
Critical, thoughtful, present
Peter Kiel, Head of ServiceWohnen and Neighborhood Management at EVIM, knows the art-loving tenant very well. That's why he gave the laudatory speech at the vernissage in the town hall. She is "critical, warm, thoughtful, present – she enriches us," he said. All her feelings, the ups and downs of her life, can be traced in her mostly abstract and very colorful paintings. Painting has been her reliable support in all phases of life. She also expresses spirituality in her colors. Her art is very personal, very autobiographical, expressive, explosive, dynamic, and powerful. And it gives hope: the "dragon of longing," for example, stands for the fact that in old age—Cato-Irmela Diez is now in her eighth decade—you can no longer simply do whatever you want. But then you just paint it. Giving up is not an option for Cato-Irmela Diez. For her, the exhibition is a dream come true. If you want to see more of her paintings, you'll have to visit her at home, said Peter Kiel with a wink. In "Eigenheim," as the district high above Wiesbaden is called, there is also the "Café Son(n)derBar," a neighborhood meeting place that couldn't be more beautiful. Cato-Irmela Diez can often be found there. And she certainly always enjoys talking about her art and how it helps her in life. (abp/hk; photos: Paul Müller)
The exhibition can be seen in the town hall foyer until February 27, 2026.