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)
Art éphémère, 1995

Ben Vautier

Art éphémère, 1995

Sale Date: May 20, 2014

Auction Closed

Le plaisir du nom propre, 1985

Ben Vautier

Le plaisir du nom propre, 1985

Sale Date: May 26, 2014

Auction Closed

Art is Only a Question of Signature and Date, 1972

Ben Vautier

Art is Only a Question of Signature and Date, 1972

Sale Date: May 31, 2014

Auction Closed

No more art, 1985

Ben Vautier

No more art, 1985

Sale Date: May 31, 2014

Auction Closed

Ceci est un original

Ben Vautier

Ceci est un original

Sale Date: May 17, 2014

Auction Closed

Que le plus fort perd, 2007

Ben Vautier

Que le plus fort perd, 2007

Sale Date: April 27, 2014

Auction Closed

Is Ben firmo tutto, 2007

Ben Vautier

Is Ben firmo tutto, 2007

Sale Date: April 27, 2014

Auction Closed

Tout ce qui monte descend, 2007

Ben Vautier

Tout ce qui monte descend, 2007

Sale Date: April 27, 2014

Auction Closed

C'est la loi du plus fort, 2007

Ben Vautier

C'est la loi du plus fort, 2007

Sale Date: April 29, 2014

Auction Closed

Dans 100 ans personne n'aura droit à la gloire, 2007

Ben Vautier

Dans 100 ans personne n'aura droit à la gloire, 2007

Sale Date: April 29, 2014

Auction Closed

A bas le nouveau, 1988

Ben Vautier

A bas le nouveau, 1988

Sale Date: April 27, 2014

Auction Closed

Autoportrait aux lunettes, 1982

Ben Vautier

Autoportrait aux lunettes, 1982

Sale Date: April 27, 2014

Auction Closed

Sans titre, 1992

Ben Vautier

Sans titre, 1992

Sale Date: April 24, 2014

Auction Closed

Quelle tête, 1991

Ben Vautier

Quelle tête, 1991

Sale Date: April 27, 2014

Auction Closed

Création en cours, 1989

Ben Vautier

Création en cours, 1989

Sale Date: April 27, 2014

Auction Closed

(idea for a ballet1) to stand on one foot as , 1976

Ben Vautier

(idea for a ballet1) to stand on one foot as , 1976

Sale Date: April 7, 2014

Auction Closed

Dites le avec des fleurs, 1992

Ben Vautier

Dites le avec des fleurs, 1992

Sale Date: April 10, 2014

Auction Closed

Tu trouves pas qu'il a du culot, 1990

Ben Vautier

Tu trouves pas qu'il a du culot, 1990

Sale Date: April 10, 2014

Auction Closed

Mail art (Bertini reviens de suite), 1970

Ben Vautier

Mail art (Bertini reviens de suite), 1970

Sale Date: April 10, 2014

Auction Closed

Io amo le donne, 2007

Ben Vautier

Io amo le donne, 2007

Sale Date: April 12, 2014

Auction Closed

Encore un trou

Ben Vautier

Encore un trou

Sale Date: April 15, 2014

Auction Closed

Art is only a question of signature (And) date, 1972

Ben Vautier

Art is only a question of signature (And) date, 1972

Sale Date: May 3, 2014

Auction Closed

This is most likelly the best drawing in the , 1979

Ben Vautier

This is most likelly the best drawing in the , 1979

Sale Date: May 3, 2014

Auction Closed

Tout est chaos

Ben Vautier

Tout est chaos

Sale Date: April 8, 2014

Auction Closed

English (US)

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