ARTISTES

BEN

Works Bibliography Biography Exhibitions Press Download
Benjamin Vautier, called Ben.
Born in 1935 in Naples, Italy.
Lives and works in Nice, France.
 
Comes to Nice in 1949 where he opens in 1958 “Le Laboratoire 32”, 32 rue de L’Escarène, which becomes the “Ben doute de tout” gallery and a meeting place.
Realizes his first writing-paintings in 1958. Develops from 1958 to 1960 the idea of Total Art and from 1962 the concept of appropriation (signs “Les trous”, “Les eaux sales”, “Dieu”, “Les vitres”…).
On the occasion of an exhibition at the Gallery One in London in 1962 where he lives fifteen days in the window, he meets Georges Maciunas who brings him into the Fluxus group.
Ben uses his gallery’s space in order to spread the Fluxus group ideas as well as his relationship with other vanguard movements.
The shop was bought in 1975 by the Musée National d’Art Moderne and joined the collections of the Centre Pompidou in 1977 for its opening.
Ben played a central role to the divulgation of radical art ideas through his numerous publications.
Has participated to numerous Fluxus group exhibitions and many others all around the world.
 
One man shows at Lara Vincy gallery:

2019
- What is the question?
2016
- C'est le foutoir
2013
- C'est quoi la culture ?
2012
- Je ne suis pas fou (I am not crazy)
2010
- L'art contemporain me fait rire
2007
- Qu'est-ce que l'art ? (What is art?)
2002
- La chambre du philosophe
2000
- La pagaille gagne du terrain
1998
- L’air de rien
1996
- J’ai trop d’idées
1983
- Boîtes et Idées

Group shows at Lara Vincy gallery:
 
2012
- Autofocus, with Esther Ferrer, Miller Levy, Jiri Cernicky et Gil J Wolman.
2009
- Le summum du luxe Fluxus, with Takako Saito and Charles Dreyfus, galerie Lara Vincy, Paris.
1996
- Les rencontres de Dépanne Machine, with Julien Blaine, Piero Gilardi, Joël Hubaut and Orlan, galerie Lara Vincy, Paris.
1993
- Salon de musique, suite d’automne (sound sculptures and objects), galerie Lara Vincy, Paris.
- Salon de musique, suite de printemps (scores and notations), galerie Lara Vincy, Paris.
 
Art fairs with Lara Vincy gallery:

2018
- Salon du dessin contemporain / Drawing Now, Le Carreau du Temple, Pari
2016
- Galeristes, Le Carreau du Temple, Paris.
2015
- Salon du dessin contemporain / Drawing Now, Le Carreau du Temple, Paris.
2014
- Salon du dessin contemporain / Drawing Now, Le Carreau du Temple, Paris.
2013
- Slick Brussels, Wild Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
2011
- Artparis, Grand Palais, Paris. - one man show Ben : L'amour est magique -
2010
- Salon du dessin contemporain, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris. - one man show Ben -
2009
- Salon du dessin contemporain, Carreau du Temple, Paris.
2006
- Artparis 06, Grand Palais, Paris.
- Arte Fiera - Art First 06, Bologna, Italy.
2005
- Fiac 2005, Parc des expositions, Porte de Versailles, Paris.
 - Arte Fiera - Art First 05, Bologna, Italy..
2004
- Fiac 2004, Parc des expositions, Porte de Versailles, Paris. - one man show  Ben: L'art parle d'art -
1998
- Art Moscow, Petit Manège, Moscow, Russia.

Main retrospectives:
 
2016
- Tout est art ?, Musée Maillol, Paris.
2015
- Ist alles Kunst ?, Tinguely Museum, Basel, Switzerland.
2010
- Strip-tease intégral de Ben, Musée d'art contemporain, Lyon.
2001
- Je cherche la vérité, Mamac, Nice.
1995
- Ben, pour ou contre, une rétrospective, Mac, Marseille.