"French artist Ben passes away at age 88, just hours after his wife's demise."
Ben Vautier's wife, Annie, passed away at 3 a.m. on a Wednesday after suffering a stroke two days prior. In a statement posted on their family gallery's Facebook page, they shared the sad news.
Devastated by the loss of his beloved wife, Ben took his own life a few hours later at their home in the south of France. The family commented, "Geniuses never stay alone."
The couple had been married since the 1960s and are survived by their two children, Eva and Francois.
Born Benjamin Vautier in 1935, he was renowned for his humorous black-on-white slogans written in a childish hand. His unique performances included signing everyday items and other artists' work.
Vautier lived a nomadic childhood in Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, and Egypt before settling in Nice, France in 1949, where he spent the rest of his life.
A self-taught artist, he entered the art world in the late 1950s, opening a store in Nice that doubled as an exhibition space and gathering point for artists. Associated with the experimental Fluxus movement of the '60s, Ben's work aimed to erase the barriers between art and everyday life.
"One of France's most popular artists" received recognition from the Elysee Palace, who released a statement saying, "On our children's pencil cases, on so many everyday objects, and even in our imaginations, Ben left his mark, a symbol of freedom and poetry, of apparent lightness and immense depth."
Vautier's art has been displayed in museums and galleries worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. A replica of his former store, featuring his iconic handwriting, can be seen at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
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Despite his renown in the art world, Ben's style was often described as raw and uncultured, aligning with the free-spirited ethos of the Fluxus movement. His unique approach to arts, characterized by humorous slogans and everyday object signatures, has left a lasting impact on various museums and galleries globally.
