DAGHANI

Tell me about the great artists of the twentieth century? Name them!

Yes, of course we can, Picasso, Dali both from Spain, Sutherland, Spencer, Moore… the list goes on and on and all with work connected to war. But how many of us know anything about Arnold Daghani.

Daghani’s work is little known, seldom seen and yet, he is perhaps the greatest creative chronicler of the darkest years of the twentieth century, World War II, the final solution and what we now know as the Holocaust.

Daghani and his wife Anna were holocaust survivors who, post war led an almost nomadic life in Europe before finally settling on the British south coast in Hove, where, in a small flat he continued to paint and draw, seldom giving away any of his work. His many styles, his obsession with detail and with seeking justice, his passions and his loves are brought vibrantly and movingly to life in a film made by Latest Bill. Bill Smith has long been researching the story, the words and the art in this stunning documentary are a testament to his belief that Daghani is one of the greats and that his story needs to be told, his work to be seen, and his life celebrated.

Martin Sugarman (AJEX Archivist) has said of the film;

“A very moving and revelatory study; the Holocaust in the ‘Labour Camps ‘ is far less well known.”

This groundbreaking documentary, showing previously unknown work demands to be seen.

You can watch it now, but be prepared to wonder at why Arnold Daghani’s name is not up there with the greatest artists of the twentieth century.