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).
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(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
$14,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 14.375 in W 17.25 in
Roy Lichtenstein Haystack Signed Color Screenprint Edition of 250
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Roy Lichtenstein Title: Haystack Edition: 88/250 Image Size: 14 3/8" x 17 3/16" Frame Size: 28" x 31" x 1" Medium: Color Screenprint on C.M. Fabriano Paper Year: 1969 Inscrip...
Paper, Screen
$14,800Sale Price|20% Off
H 30 in W 22 in
Jacob Lawrence The Builders (The Family) 1974 Signed Screen-Print
By Jacob Lawrence
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Jacob Lawrence Title: The Builders (The Family) Medium: Screenprint in color Edition: 115/300 Publisher: Published by IBM Corporation, New York (Nesbett 74-1) Image Size: 30"...
Screen
$11,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 26 in W 19.75 in
Jacob Lawrence Harlem Street Scene Signed 1975 Screen-print
By Jacob Lawrence
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Jacob Lawrence Title: Harlem Street Scene Medium: Screenprint in Color Edition: 113/150 Sheet Size: 26" x 19-3/4" Frame Size: 36" x 29-3/4" Year: 1975 Publisher: Published by...
Paper, Screen
$15,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 16.25 in W 28.875 in
Frank Stella Black Adder 1968 Signed Serigraph Edition of 100
By Frank Stella
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Frank Stella Title: Black Adder Medium: Serigraph on Paper Year: 1968 Sheet Size: 16.25" x 28.875" Frame Size: 16.75" x 31.5" Edition: TP VI (trail proof 6) outside of the st...
Paper, Screen
$5,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 17.25 in W 22.25 in
Frank Stella Conway 1974 Signed Lithograph Edition of 100 Eccentric Polygons
By Frank Stella
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Frank Stella Title: Conway (from the Eccentric Polygons series) Medium: Lithograph and Screenprint in Colors on Arches Paper Edition: 34/100 Publisher: Gemini G.E.L., Los Ang...
Paper, Lithograph, Screen
Magic Rainbow II, Limited Edition Signed Print
By Yaacov Agam
Located in San Rafael, CA
Yaacov Agam (b. 1928) Magic Rainbow II, late 20th century Screenprint in colors on wove paper LXIII/XC (edition 63/90) Signed and numbered in pencil along lower edge 13 x 15...
Screen
$6,500
H 48 in W 48 in
Sol LeWitt Colors with Lines in Four Directions (Blue) 1990 Silkscreen
By Sol LeWitt
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Sol LeWitt Title: Colors with Lines in Four Directions (Blue) Medium: Silkscreen on Paper Artwork Size: 48" x 48" Frame Size: 52.75" x 52.75" Year: 1990 Edition: 67/100 Print...
Screen
Found Object Wall Sculpture/Relief by Gertie Lowe
By Gertie Lowe
Located in Long Island City, NY
Wall sculpture assemblage by Gertie Lowe, from 1978, is a conceptual abstract with everyday objects. Muted neutral tones are contrasted with vibrant accents. Signed and dated verso...
Plastic, Wood
"John Lennon, Fillmore East, NYC, August 1972" Bob Gruen
By Bob Gruen
Located in North Adams, MA
In 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono conceived a concert at Madison Garden called “One to One.” It was a benefit for the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, a facility for mental...
Screen
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
Wood equals paper
By Dianne Baker
Located in Buffalo, NY
A contemporary collection of conceptual wall sculptures by Dianne Baker titled "Wood = Paper" created in 2016 with wood, metal, leather and handmade paper. Various Sizes: 16" x 1...
Metal
$24,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 24 in W 20 in
Andy Warhol Jacqueline Kennedy I (Jackie I) 1966 Screenprint Edition of 200
By Andy Warhol
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Andy Warhol Title: Jacqueline Kennedy I (Jackie I), from the 11 Pop Artists I Portfolio Medium: Screenprint on Paper Edition: 179/200 Publisher: Original Editions Printer: KM...
Paper, Screen
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.