About the Artist

Diego Fazio, internationally known as DiegoKoi, is an Italian artist born in 1989.

His work investigates the human figure as a place of psychological tension, vulnerability and transformation. Through images of extraordinary clarity, DiegoKoi explores the unstable boundary between appearance and interior experience, confronting themes of identity, silence, fragility and emotional resistance.

His distinctive visual language first attracted international attention for its exceptional control of light, form and detail. Beyond technical mastery, his works are defined by an intense psychological presence: the visible surface becomes a means of revealing what ordinarily remains concealed.

DiegoKoi’s work has been presented in museums, galleries and exhibitions across Europe, Asia and the United States, including the Daejeon Museum of Art and Clayarch Gimhae Museum in South Korea, the Caran d’Ache Art Gallery in Beijing and Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York.

His works are held in private collections internationally, and his practice has been featured by major cultural and media platforms. He is also an official Caran d’Ache ambassador.

DiegoKoi is currently developing a new body of work that expands his investigation into the human condition while preserving the intensity and uncompromising precision that have defined his artistic identity.

Selected Exhibitions

2026
International Hyper-realism Exhibition: The Most Perfect Illusion
Ulsan Art Museum, Ulsan, South Korea

2019
#NOPIXEL – Arte al limite. I maestri dell’iperrealismo italiano
Pinacoteca Gianni Bellini, Sarnico, Italy

2018
DiegoKoi
Caran d’Ache Art Gallery, Beijing, China

2017
Hyper
Conde Contemporary, Miami, United States

2016
Illusioni Ottiche
White Noise Gallery, Rome, Italy

2016
Hyperrealism
Clayarch Gimhae Museum, Gimhae, South Korea

2016
Hyperrealism
Suwon I’Park Museum of Art, Suwon, South Korea

2015
21C Hyperrealism
Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejeon, South Korea

2015
Art Fair Presentation with White Noise Gallery
Milan, Italy

2015
Any Given Post-It
White Noise Gallery, Rome, Italy

2014
Hyperrealism
Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, United States

2014
Next Step Biennale
Conceptory, Paris, France

2014
Iperrealismo
Expart, Bibbiena, Italy

2013
Wonder Works
The Cat Street Gallery, Hong Kong

2013
Sensations
Raffian Art, Singapore

2013
Premio Carlo Bonatto Minella
Casa Toesca and Villa Vallero, Rivarolo Canavese, Italy

2012
13th Premio Cairo – Finalists Exhibition
Palazzo della Permanente, Milan, Italy

2012
6th Arte Laguna Prize – Finalists Exhibition
Arsenale di Venezia, Venice, Italy

2012
Premio Internazionale Limen
Palazzo Gagliardi, Vibo Valentia, Italy

Selected Press & Media

SELECTED PRESS & MEDIA

2026
MBN News, South Korea
Ulsan Art Museum Presents Korea’s Largest Hyperrealism Exhibition, The Most Perfect Illusion

2026
Ulsan Art Museum
2026 International Hyper-realism Exhibition: The Most Perfect Illusion

2026
LaC News24
L’artista calabrese DiegoKoi conquista la Corea del Sud: a Ulsan la sua mostra con oltre 100 opere

2026
Il Lametino
L’artista lametino DiegoKoi conquista la Corea del Sud: inaugurata una grande mostra di iperrealismo con oltre 100 opere

2026
Il Lametino
Opera dell’artista DiegoKoi scelta come immagine guida per la grande mostra sull’iperrealismo in Corea del Sud

2023
Oggi
Le opere di DiegoKoi

2022
Oggi
Chi è Diego Fazio, in arte DiegoKoi?

2018
BuzzFeed Germany
Wow, diese Zeichnungen auf Instagram sind so realistisch, dass sie aussehen wie Fotos

2014
CNN
Astonishing Portraits You Won’t Believe Aren’t Photographs

2014
La Repubblica
“Hyperrealism”, i dipinti di DiegoKoi lasciano senza parole

2014
La Stampa
DiegoKoi, i disegni che sembrano fotografie

2014
Artitude
DiegoKoi

2013
Sky Arte
Foto o son desto

2013
Millionaire
Questa non è una foto

2013
The Nation
Diego Fazio: The New Face of Pencil Art

2012
BuzzFeed
This Is Not a Photograph

2012
HuffPost
Les dessins hyperréalistes de Diego Fazio

2012
Gizmodo
This Picture Is Actually a Drawing

2012
My Modern Met
Mind-Blowing Photorealistic Pencil Drawing

2012
Bored Panda
Incredibly Photorealistic Pencil Drawing by Diego Fazio

2012
Fubiz
Photorealistic Drawing

Awards and Recognition

ONGOING
Official Caran d’Ache Ambassador
Graphite Line, Switzerland

2025
Featured Artist and Instructor
Creative Class by Caran d’Ache

2017
Federico II Recognition
Awarded by Lions Club Lamezia Host, Lamezia Terme, Italy

2013
Premio Carlo Bonatto Minella
Finalist, Rivarolo Canavese, Italy

2012
Premio Internazionale Lìmen Arte
Winner, Calabrian Artists Under 35 Section
Palazzo Gagliardi, Vibo Valentia, Italy

2012
13th Premio Cairo
Finalist
Palazzo della Permanente, Milan, Italy

2012
6th Arte Laguna Prize
Finalist
Arsenale di Venezia, Venice, Italy

2011
NonFermArti
First Prize, Painting Section
Audience Award for Best Artist
Cosenza, Italy