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Ben Vautier
Be careful Culture can manipulates.
Benjamin Vautier, known as Ben, is born in Naples (Italy) in 1935 and stays there until 5 years old. Then he discovers Switzerland, Turkey, Egypt, and his mother chooses to settle in Nice in 1949. When he is 15 years old, he is an handyman in a bookshop (Le Nain Bleu). He turns over pages of art books and decides that: “To be beautiful, the beautiful has . . .
See & discover
Beyond works currently in stock, it seemed to me useful to combine business with pleasure by letting you discover others works by artists in my gallery. These artworks, now sold or removed from our website, have been in our stock in the past. These pages will undoubtedly make it possible for some of you to associate an image with its title or the other way round, for others it will be a good time to discover more on such and such artist. For the sake of confidentiality – the pieces being no longer available – we won't display neither their numbering or their price. For whatever reason, make sure to visit this amazing art database with to date 6441 online works just for your pleasure! Michelle Champetier
The works presented on this page are not available anymore.
L'essentiel est que...
1971 Original screenprint on canvas on stretcher, signed and numbered in black by the artist. Ed. Alexandre Delasalle, St Paul de Vence. Without
La vérité (The...
Circa 1995 Original multiple entirely handwritten by the artist, signed and numbered in black ink in lower right. Each proof has a different annotation and... Without
J'ai pas la...
Circa 1980 Original multiple, Indian ink on beige cardboard, numbered and signed in Indian ink by the artist, from a series of 60, each copy with a different... Without
Ben le bon Ben le...
1995 Two screenprints on black paper, not signed. Without
Single work 
Look how I suffer...
1975 Acrylic and photograph on panel. On verso signed and dated with black felt pen, annotated « From one poor artist to another poor artist. Like old... Ben’s Archives n° 760051. Provenance : The artist, Bernar Venet NY, Private collection NY from the above.
Ben le bon Ben le...
1995 Two screenprints on black paper, not signed. Without
L'art c'est de...
1986 Poster printed in screenprint. Art-Thèmes Ed., Cote d'Azur-Paris. Without
Life is competition
1992 Screenprint, signed by the artist, extracted from the album "Jeux Olympiques de Barcelone". Puma Trading Ed.. Without
Je gagne, je...
1992 Box containing three decks of 52 cards. Ed. Serge Aboukrat, Paris. Without
Il faut en rire
1990 Original screenprint, signed in pencil by the artist, extracted from the portfolio "Nice Carnaval Roi du Rire". Comité des Fêtes de Nice publisher. Without
Je gagne, je...
1992 Box containing three decks of 52 cards. Ed. Serge Aboukrat, Paris. Without
Pin's
1991 Collection of nine enamelled metal pin's, each on their support of origin, made by Saggay. Without
Souris-moi
1993 Mouse pad, in its original packaging. Ed. Serge Aboukrat, Paris. Without
Festa occitana
Circa 1980 Poster printed in screenprint, for an Occitan party to the events committee of Abadie in Nice. Without
Culture dans la...
1978 Poster printed in screenprint, published by the artist, conceived for a debate on the city of Nice on May 12th 1978. Scarce. Without
Single work 
Les litanies de Ben
1997 Book. Collection of Ben's poetries, foreword by Pierre Tilman, front page enriched with a drawing and a dedication of the artist in black feltpen.... Without
Admettons la...
1981 Screenprint, in lower left signed and dedicated in whithe by the artist, in lower left numbered and signed with feltpen by the artist.Axe Sud... Without
Black Power
1993 Screenprintg, signed, numbered and dated in pencil by the artist. Ed. Keller for the Jazz festival of Montreux. Without
Pas de question...
Circa 1990 Screenprint, signed in pencil by the artist. Without
Single work 
Anne ne vois tu...
2010 Oil on canvas, binoculars (toy) in plastic mounted on a wood pannel, signed and dated by the artist. Without
L'essentiel est que...
1970 Original screenprint on canvas, signed in white by the artist, and on verso numbered in black feltpen. Ed. Alexandre Delasalle, St Paul de Vence. Edition filed by Ben in preparation for the catalogue raisonne.
L'essentiel est que...
1970 Original screenprint on canvas, signed and numbered in black by the artist. Ed. Alexandre Delasalle, St Paul de Vence. Edition filed by Ben in preparation for the catalogue raisonne.
Je n'arrive pas à...
2004 Original photolithography, signed and numbered in white pencil by the artist. Without
Single work 
Exhibition Gallery...
1976 Invitation in-3 for the exhibition of the artist in the Gallery Alexandre de La Salle, heightened with gouache and signed in black pastel by the... Without
Single work 
Parcel bomb
1965 Cardboard box containing a firecracker and a passport photo (back of the artist). Box labeled with the address of the recipient written by Ben and... Without
Schetsboek n°3
1991 Book (with spiral) of 30 pages with a set of reproductions of drawing. Cover enriched by hand (drawing and writings), signed and dated by the artist.... Without
Something
Circa 1975 Original handwritten document (feltpen), signed in feltpen by the artist. Original title: Quelque chose. Without
Exhibition Ben and...
1972 Two posters of small size lay down on a green cardboard for the exhibition in the Studio Ferrero, Nice. One of the posters is signed in feltpen by... Without
Parfois l'art me...
1984 - 1997 Original screenprint, in 1997 retouched and annotated with acrylic by the artist, signed at the lower right. Without
Il faut en rire
1990 Original lithograph, signed in pencil by the artist, from the portfolio "Nice Carnaval Roi du Rire". Ed. Festival Committee of the City of Nice. Without
C'est la vie
1998 Original screenprint, signed nd numbered by the artist. Translation of the title : It's life. Without
L'essentiel est que...
1970 Original screenprint on canvas, signed and numbered in black by the artist. Ed. Alexandre Delasalle, St Paul de Vence. Edition filed by Ben in preparation for the catalogue raisonne.
Free
1990 Enamelled plate, signed. Published by the Musée de l'Objet (Blois). Title : Libre Without
Regardez Ailleurs
Circa 1970 Original screenprint, signed in pencil. Without
L'art est un acte
1999 Oil on fabric, signed and dated in bottom on the right. Dedicated and dated "Eté 99" on verso. Without
It's life
1998 Original screenprint, signed in pencil. Unknown
Single work 
Bassine qui voulait...
1986 Acrylic and collage on wood panel. With the text : "Bassine qu’Annie a cassée en faisant la pâtée pour les poules. Bassine qui voulait prendre... WithoutCatalogue(s) raisonné(s)
Catalogue(s) raisonné(s)
*« C.R. » en préparation par Ben. All the "catalogues raisonnés"Bibliographic track & more
To read about the artist :
- « Ben », Stedelijk museum, Amsterdam, 1973
- « Tout Ben », Musées de Nice, 1985
- « Ben, pour ou contre : Une rétrospective », Musée de Marseille, Ed. RMN, 1995
- « Les litanies de Ben », P. Tilman, L’Evidence, Fontenay-sous-Bois, 1997
- « Je cherche la vérité », cat d'expo, MAMAC, Nice, Ed. Flammarion, 2001
- « Ben Vautier, il provocatore », cat d'expo, Ed. Prearo, 2008
- « Ben, Strip-tease intégral », T. Raspail, cat d'expo, Ed. MAC, Lyon et Somogy, 2010
- « Fluxus continue et ne s’arrêtera jamais » Fondation du Doute, Ed. Favre SA, 2013
- « Ben Ministre des affaires des étrangères », Ed. Favre SA, Lausanne, 2015
- « Ben, Tout est art ? », cat d'expo, Musée Maillol, Ed. Fonds Mercator, 2016
To read from the artist :
- « Ma vie, mes conneries : 1935-1997 », Ben et A. Vautier, Ed. Z'editions, 1997
- « Suicide d'artiste », Ben Vautier, Col. Textes essentiels, Ed. L' esprit du Temps, 2008
Website :
www.ben-vautier.comMore :
+ Stamp
Stamp by Ben Vautier
The publication of a postal stamp is often a homage paid by a nation to a place, an event, a remarkable cause or a character which count. The painters and other artists do not escape from this rule. Some are however "forgotten" of postal art. Here, gathered below (French or foreign), emitted stamps (206) or simple studies of stamp (224) in homage to the artists represented on our website. The first French stamp was emitted in 1849, England preceded us by ten years. There is often a share of voyage in this small form of shape paper. The stamp circulates, sails, flies away, it makes dream, then dream a little. M.C.
When the stamp is really emitted, the artist name is preceded of an asterisk (*). It is certain that we do not know each stamp emitted for such or such artist; do not hesitate with us to make known them!
Discover all stamps
+ Autograph
Artist's dedication to Anne
Michelle Champetier Collection / This document is not for sale
+ Listen
Listen
+ Watch
Watch
+ A tribute to...
See all the tribute pages...
A tribute to Ben Vautier
Sorry this section is only available in french for now.
Le mercredi 5 juin 2024, quelques heures à peine après le décès d'Annie, son épouse - victime d'un AVC -, Ben a mis fin à ses jours. Le couple était marié depuis soxante ans. Ainsi, l'ultime artiste de l'École de Nice, le peintre des mots, disparait. Il avait 88 ans. L'artiste s'est donné la mort dans sa maison de Saint-Pancrace, sur les hauteurs de Nice, maison et jardin devenus au fil des ans oeuvre d'art, bâtisse recouverte de mots d'esprit et d'objets hétéroclites. Annie et Ben sont réunis comme ils l'ont toujours été. Un hommage public leur sera rendu le jeudi 13 juin à 10h30 à Nice sur le miroir d’eau de la coulée verte. Ils seront accompagnés au crématorium ultérieurement pour une cérémonie familiale plus intime. En hommage au couple, avec respect, nous déposons un fuchsia.
"Le nouveau dans l’art n’est jamais une création spontanée, il est comme l’imagination, mémoire disparate réunie, faite de vieux matériaux." - Ben
"Nous sommes tous ego. " - Ben
"Si j’étais critique d’art, j’esquinterais Ben." - Ben
"Ben est son propre iconoclaste. Il détruit son œuvre par son œuvre, manifestant ainsi que l’art peut être éphémère." - Andres Pardey (Musée Tinguely de Bâle)
"J’adore les vide-greniers, les brocantes, Emmaüs… Chaque fois j’en reviens avec la voiture pleine. Je dis à ma femme que ces objets m’ont donné des idées d’œuvres ! /.../ Qu'est-ce que le beau, qu'est-ce que le laid ? On découvre que le beau et le laid peut changer. Ce qui est beau au 18e siècle est devenu laid." - Ben
"Je veux être enterré à Nice dans mon jardin, près du potager d’Annie, dans une baignoire." - Ben
Mouvements de l'art
- + FLUXUS / 1960-1972 / Georges Maciunas, George Brecht, John Cage, Robert Filliou, Per Kikerby, Nam June Paik, etc.
- + SCHOOL OF NICE / 1965-1975 / Jean-Claude Farhi, Robert Filliou, Roland Flexner, Serge III, Pierre Pinoncelli, etc.
Valuation - Brokerage
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