The world of contemporary art is in mourning. Benjamin Vautier, better known as Ben, died on Wednesday at his home in Saint-Pancrace, near Nice, at the age of 88. His death came just hours after that of his wife, Annie Vautier. According to an official statement from his family, the artist took his own life because he could not imagine life without her.

An instantly recognisable style

Ben was best known for his childlike calligraphy in white letters on a black background. These clear, unique inscriptions had become his signature, an instantly recognisable logo. For over fifty years, words have been at the heart of his work, combining concept and popularity, history and current events.

A rich and varied artistic career

Born in Switzerland on 18 July 1935, Ben began his artistic career in a bookshop and stationery shop in Nice, which his mother had bought to encourage him to find a career. He quickly transformed the shop into an exhibition and meeting place for the young avant-garde artists of Nice. Le Laboratoire 32, which became the Ben Doute de Tout Gallery, became an emblematic space for contemporary art.

In 1975, his work entered the collections of the Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris, confirming his influence and talent.

Art and life, an inseparable unity

For Ben, art could never be separated from life. His house in Saint-Pancrace, known as ‘Chez Malabar et Cunégonde’, was a place where he lived, created and discussed his art. Filled with works, archives and salvaged objects, it is now the Fondation du doute, a living tribute to Ben’s philosophy of limitless artistic proliferation, where the subsistence economy of salvage and barter replaces the capitalist art market.

A key figure in the Fluxus movement

In the late 1950s, Ben met Arman, Yves Klein and other Nouveau Réalisme artists. These meetings had a profound influence on his work. In 1962 he attended the Festival of Misfits in London, where he met George Maciunas, the founder of the Fluxus movement. The following year, Ben organised a series of Fluxus events in Nice, marking the arrival of the movement in France.

His travels, notably to New York in 1964, strengthened his connection with Fluxus, and he never ceased to carry its message while cultivating his own singularity.

Conceptual and activist art

Ben used simple gestures to create powerful works of art. His calligraphic statements, often provocative and humorous, engage the public in dialogue, provoking reaction and debate. He plays with contradictions, asserting the inseparability of art and life.

His works, whether signed objects or performances, aim to change our perception of the world, not by adding new objects, but by reinterpreting those that already exist.

The legacy of an unforgettable artist

Ben’s death leaves a huge void in the art world. His work, characterised by a relentless search for truth and a constant questioning of the art world, will continue to inspire and provoke. His unique approach, combining simplicity and depth, reached a wide audience and made art accessible to all.

Benjamin Vautier, aka Ben, was more than an artist: he was a philosopher of art, a gentle provocateur and an essential figure in contemporary art. His legacy will live on, reminding us of the importance of innovation, diversity and the integration of art into all aspects of life.

Henri Matisse‘s L’Atelier rouge is a testament to the transformative power of colour and form in modern art. Painted in 1911, it was first known to the world as Panneau rouge (Red Panel), emphasising its departure from traditional easel painting towards a more integrated, decorative approach. This title emphasised the painting’s radical monochrome, focusing on its colouristic boldness rather than its figurative elements – a pioneering move by Matisse that reflected the spirit of early modernism.

Since 16 March, the Musée de Picardie has been offering visitors a spellbinding immersion in the world of Impressionism through the exceptional exhibition “Sur la plage”. On loan from the prestigious Musée d’Orsay, this emblematic work by Édouard Manet takes visitors on an artistic journey to the heart of the movement that revolutionised French painting.

Exploring a masterpiece

Dated 1873, Sur la plage is much more than just a canvas. It is an open window onto the shore at Berck-sur-Mer, where the artist captures the fleeting moment when his wife Suzanne and his brother Eugène let themselves be carried away by the tranquillity of reading or contemplating the ocean. Through this intimate scene, Manet invites us to share a moment of serenity and melancholy, while inviting us to adopt the gaze of the yachtsman, imbued with the magic of the sea.

The genius of Manet and the Impressionist spirit

Édouard Manet, the guiding light of Impressionism, stands out for his singular vision of the world. A precursor of thisdaring movement, he defied academic conventions by favouring spontaneity, luminosity and fluidity in his works. “Sur la plage” is a perfect example, where bright colours and light brushstrokes express all the vivacity of nature and modern life.