The art world mourns Benjamin Vautier, known as Ben, who passed away on June 5 at 88. A key figure in the Fluxus movement, Ben died by suicide at his home in Saint-Pancrace, France, shortly after his wife Annie's death from a stroke. Their children, Eva and François, confirmed the news.
Ben was celebrated for his whimsical and profound painted phrases, which became a ubiquitous presence in France. His text-based artworks, blending humor, satire, and deep reflection, made his work accessible and thought-provoking. French President Emmanuel Macron noted Ben’s influence, stating, “On our children’s pencil cases, on so many everyday objects and even in our imaginations, Ben had left his mark.”
France’s cultural minister, Rachidi Dati, praised Ben as “a goldsmith of language” whose nearly 12,000 creations left an indelible mark on generations.
Born in Naples in 1935, Ben’s early life was marked by upheaval, moving through Turkey, Egypt, and Switzerland before settling in Nice, France. His passion for art began in a bookstore where he worked as a teen, cutting out and keeping pages from art books that fascinated him.
From 1958 to 1973, Ben ran a record store in Nice that also served as a gallery, Galerie Ben Doute de Tout (“Ben doubts everything”). There, he met influential artists like Yves Klein and George Maciunas, cofounder of Fluxus. Klein encouraged Ben to incorporate text into his work, a defining feature of his art.
Ben blurred the boundaries between art and everyday life with his Living Sculpture series and performative gestes or gestures. Despite exploring various media, his text paintings, often declaring tout est art (everything is art), were his most celebrated works.
Benjamin Vautier’s legacy lies in challenging conventions and celebrating the mundane as art. His playful, insightful works will continue to inspire, reminding us that art is woven into the fabric of daily life.
Selena Mattei