Ben Vautier

(French, born 1935)

Ben Vautier is a French artist known for his text-based paintings, such as L'art est inutile. Rentrez chez vous (Art is Useless. Go Home) (1971). Vautier’s Fluxus works circled around defining art as a practice that unifies life, objects, and philosophy. “What is culture? Culture is a fairytale that we have created. It can be manipulative,” he has explained. “The purpose of culture is to amuse poor people and rich people alike.” Born Benjamin Vautier on July 18, 1935 in Naples, Italy, he moved with his mother to the South of France in 1949. In 1958, Vautier left his job at a book store and opened a stationary and record store. He ran Laboratory 32 (Le Magasin), from 1958 to 1973, creating a salon-like meeting place for people to discuss new ideas. During this time, Vautier met Yves Klein, John Cage, and George Macunias, becoming involved in the early stages of the Fluxus art movement. The artist continued producing work surrounding everyday life over the following decades, while also working as an advocate for minority rights in France. He continues to live and work in Nice, France. Today, Vautier’s works are held in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Centre George Pompidou in Paris, and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, among others.

Ben Vautier Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

Ben Vautier (2,282 results)
Tout est chaos

Ben Vautier

Tout est chaos

Sale Date: April 4, 2017

Auction Closed

L'ART PER RIDERE IL FAUT EN FINIR AVEC LA..., 1984

Ben Vautier

L'ART PER RIDERE IL FAUT EN FINIR AVEC LA..., 1984

Sale Date: April 4, 2017

Auction Closed

AUTOPORTRAIT (MASTERPEICE PAR BEN), 1960), 1960

Ben Vautier

AUTOPORTRAIT (MASTERPEICE PAR BEN), 1960), 1960

Sale Date: March 22, 2017

Auction Closed

Personne n'est libre, 2005

Ben Vautier

Personne n'est libre, 2005

Sale Date: March 18, 2017

Auction Closed

L'art c'est du bluff (Art is a Bluff), 2000

Ben Vautier

L'art c'est du bluff (Art is a Bluff), 2000

Sale Date: April 12, 2017

Auction Closed

Nuit de Chine, nuit câline, nuit d'amour..., 2004

Ben Vautier

Nuit de Chine, nuit câline, nuit d'amour..., 2004

Sale Date: April 12, 2017

Auction Closed

Moustache, 1980

Ben Vautier

Moustache, 1980

Sale Date: March 28, 2017

Auction Closed

Tournez 20 fois et vous êtes au Tibet, 1987

Ben Vautier

Tournez 20 fois et vous êtes au Tibet, 1987

Sale Date: February 21, 2017

Auction Closed

À ouvrir à vos risques et périls, 1988

Ben Vautier

À ouvrir à vos risques et périls, 1988

Sale Date: February 21, 2017

Auction Closed

La vérité, 2000, 2000

Ben Vautier

La vérité, 2000, 2000

Sale Date: February 27, 2017

Auction Closed

Art éphémère, 1995, 1995

Ben Vautier

Art éphémère, 1995, 1995

Sale Date: February 27, 2017

Auction Closed

Complicated stupidity «Plus tout est simple..., 1994

Ben Vautier

Complicated stupidity «Plus tout est simple..., 1994

Sale Date: February 11, 2017

Auction Closed

PROPOSITIONS POUR UNE TOILE DE PEINTRE

Ben Vautier

PROPOSITIONS POUR UNE TOILE DE PEINTRE

Sale Date: September 24, 2016

Auction Closed

No more art

Ben Vautier

No more art

Sale Date: December 20, 2016

Auction Closed

DIEU, 1986, 1986

Ben Vautier

DIEU, 1986, 1986

Sale Date: December 17, 2016

Auction Closed

times are changing!, 2014

Ben Vautier

times are changing!, 2014

Sale Date: December 9, 2016

Auction Closed

I have abandoned the idea I could change..., 1980

Ben Vautier

I have abandoned the idea I could change..., 1980

Sale Date: December 5, 2016

Auction Closed

L'ART CA EXISTE, 1986, 1986

Ben Vautier

L'ART CA EXISTE, 1986, 1986

Sale Date: December 9, 2016

Auction Closed

Take care, 2016

Ben Vautier

Take care, 2016

Sale Date: December 12, 2016

Auction Closed

Miroir miroir dis moi qu'est ce que l'Art, 1998

Ben Vautier

Miroir miroir dis moi qu'est ce que l'Art, 1998

Sale Date: December 12, 2016

Auction Closed

WHAT BOTHERS ME IN THIS WRITING IS ITS..., 1971

Ben Vautier

WHAT BOTHERS ME IN THIS WRITING IS ITS..., 1971

Sale Date: December 6, 2016

Auction Closed

N'EN CROYEZ PAS VOS YEUX, 1997

Ben Vautier

N'EN CROYEZ PAS VOS YEUX, 1997

Sale Date: December 7, 2016

Auction Closed

La vraie c'est moi, 1990

Ben Vautier

La vraie c'est moi, 1990

Sale Date: December 8, 2016

Auction Closed

Pas à vendre, 1971

Ben Vautier

Pas à vendre, 1971

Sale Date: December 8, 2016

Auction Closed

English (US)

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