Benjamin Vautier was born in 1935, in Naples, Italy, to a French family. He was the great-grandson of the Swiss painter Marc Louis Benjamin Vautier (1829–98). He discovered Yves Klein and the Nouveau Réalisme in the 1950s, but he quickly became interested in the French Dada artist Marcel Duchamp and the music of John Cage.
In 1959, Vautier founded the journal Ben Dieu. In 1960, he had his first one-man show, Rien et tout in Laboratoire 32.
Vautier joined George Maciunas in the Fluxus artistic movement, in October 1962. He was also active in Mail-Art and was mostly known for his text-based paintings or écritures, which began in 1953, with his work Il faut manger. Il faut dormir. Another example of the latter is L'art est inutile. Rentrez chez vous (Art is Useless, Go Home). A notable work made for Harald Szeemann's Documenta 5 exhibition in 1972 shouts, “KUNST IST ÜBERFLÜSSIG” (English: "Art is Superfluous"), and was installed across the top of the Fridericianum museum in Kassel, Germany.
Vautier long defended the rights of minorities in all countries and was influenced by the theories of François Fontan about ethnism. For example, he defended the Occitan language (southern France). In 1981, he coined the name of the French art movement of the 1980s Figuration Libre (Free Figuration).
Find Benjamin Vautier art on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Gallery 55 TLV)
1993 poster "Nous vaincrons" by Ben, Images for the Fight Against AIDS
By Ben Vautier
Located in PARIS, FR
The 1993 poster "Nous vaincrons" by Ben Vautier, commonly known as Ben, represents a striking piece of socially conscious art dedicated to the fight against AIDS. Part of the "Images...
Screen
$1,000
"Mystery Box (Boîte mystère)" Ben Vautier, Fluxus Movement Conceptual Sculpture
By Ben Vautier
Located in New York, NY
Ben Vautier Mystery Box (Boîte mystère), 1965 Painted wood with letterpress label 3 13/16 × 2 3/4 × 2 7/16 inches Ben Vautier was a French artist known for his text-based paintings...
Wood, Paper
Acheter Dieu, 1961 - mixed media, 44x33 cm, framed
By Ben Vautier
Located in Nice, FR
Gouache and technic mixte on paper, signed in the text. Benjamin Vautier was born July 18, 1935 in Naples, Italy to a French family. He is the great-grandson of the Swiss painter Marc Louis Benjamin Vautier [fr] (1829-1898). He discovered Yves Klein and the Nouveau Réalisme in the 1950s, but he became quickly interested in the French dada artist Marcel Duchamp and the music of John Cage. In 1959, Vautier founded the journal Ben Dieu. In 1960, he had his first one-man show, Rien et tout in Laboratoire 32. Ben joined George Maciunas...
Mixed Media
Prise De Possession Du Tout, 1960 - mixed media, 33x34 cm, framed
By Ben Vautier
Located in Nice, FR
Gouche and technic mixte on paper.signed in the text. Benjamin Vautier was born July 18, 1935 in Naples, Italy to a French family. He is the great-grandson of the Swiss painter Marc Louis Benjamin Vautier [fr] (1829-1898). He discovered Yves Klein and the Nouveau Réalisme in the 1950s, but he became quickly interested in the French dada artist Marcel Duchamp and the music of John Cage. In 1959, Vautier founded the journal Ben Dieu.[2] In 1960, he had his first one-man show, Rien et tout in Laboratoire 32. Ben joined George Maciunas...
Mixed Media
Au bout des yeux
By Ben Vautier
Located in PARIS, FR
Acrylic on canvas original painting 40 x 70 cm (Encadrée) 38 x 61 cm 15.75 x 27.56 in
Acrylic
Beach landscape on Atlantic French coast
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
Jean-Georges PASQUET (Périgueux 1851 - 1936) Pointe de Suzac at Saint Georges de Didonne Oil on canvas H. 59 cm; W. 85 cm Signed and dated 1885 lower left Provenance: Private collec...
Oil, Canvas
Balloon Girl
By Mr. Brainwash
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Mr. Brainwash Balloon Girl, 2025 Medium: Silkscreen and Mixed Media on Paper Artwork Size: 36 x 36 in Framed Size: 43.5 x 43.5 in This work is Framed
Screen
Jo Yarrington, Raging Women Behind The Veil, 2020, Mixed Media
By Jo Yarrington
Located in Darien, CT
Jo Yarrington has always been interested in chance and the found {moment, object, person}. How random experiences click in to place, form a narrative, reveal a truth. All the work ...
Linen, Thread, Found Objects
The circus
By PINKHAS
Located in Tel Aviv - Jaffa, IL
Original 3D mixed media Unique piece Hand signed Certificate of authenticity from the artist Mint condition
Plastic, Wood, Varnish, Acrylic
$2,500
H 94 in W 11 in
MIxed Media Conceptual Art Sculpture Drawing Human Rights Welded Iron
By Francoise Schein
Located in Surfside, FL
This is a large sculpture and also includes an artist custom framed silkscreen with extensive handwork titled Line of Time, pencil signed and inscribed, presented in heavy metal and ...
Iron
$232Sale Price|52% Off
H 5.91 in W 5.91 in D 0.79 in
Marchand de ballons - Poetry - Circus - Chagall's spirit - Unique piece
By PINKHAS
Located in Tel Aviv - Jaffa, IL
Mixed media on panel Hand signed Unique piece Mint condition
Varnish, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Portrait of young man - The artist's son
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
Auguste-Joseph Delécluse (Roubaix 1855 - Paris 1928) Portrait of the artist's son, Eugène Delécluse Oil on canvas H. 98 cm; W. 116 cm Signed lower right 1903 Exhibition: 1903, Salon...
Canvas, Oil
$232Sale Price|52% Off
H 5.91 in W 5.91 in D 0.79 in
Epouvantail libéré -Scarecrow- Poetry - Circus - Chagall's spirit - Unique piece
By PINKHAS
Located in Tel Aviv - Jaffa, IL
Mixed media on panel Hand signed Unique piece Mint condition
Varnish, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Eros and Psyche
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
Maurice SIODEAU (Cholet 1916 – Paris 1944) "By lightly touching her with his arrow, Eros revives the sleeping Psyche" Oil on canvas H. 146 cm; W. 114 cm (Prix de Rome format) Signed ...
Oil, Canvas
$23,826
H 21.46 in W 18.12 in
Presumed Portrait of Jean-Jacques-Blaise Baloin de Belvèse, Baron de Vennac
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
Marianne Loir (Paris 1705 – Paris 1783) Presumed Portrait of Jean-Jacques-Blaise Baloin de Belvèse, Baron de Vennac (?-1781) Oil on oval canvas H. 54.5 cm; W. 46 cm Unsigned Grandda...
Canvas, Oil
$857Sale Price|20% Off
H 27.37 in W 21.07 in
A journey. Contemporary figurative Print, Pop art, Art deco, Polish artist
Located in Warsaw, PL
Contemporary print on paper by Polish artist Danuta Dabrowska-Siemaszkiewicz. Artist is inspired by 20th century culture, art deco and pop culture. This artwork depicts women in a vi...
Paper, Screen
Family portrait
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
Ange-René RAVAULT (Montargis, 1766 – Montargis, 1845) Portrait of a family from the Montargis or Pithiviers region Oil on canvas H. 73 cm; W. 60 cm Signed and dated lower left 1819 ...
Canvas, Oil
Sold
H 19.69 in W 27.56 in D 0.79 in
Je signe rien - Vautier, Ben - aluminum / 3D text collage - hand-signed archive
By Ben Vautier
Located in Winterswijk, NL
This impressive 3D text collage features white acrylic on a brushed aluminum composite panel, created in 2016. The piece is hand-signed by the artist with a felt-tip pen, dated, and ...
Metal
No title
By Ben Vautier
Located in Tel Aviv - Jaffa, IL
Original drawing with black felt pen on thick paper Handsigned lower right And dedicated to Eddy in french Unique piece
Felt Pen
Solution N17
By Ben Vautier
Located in Nice, FR
Gouache and technic mixte, signed in the text.