The Nice artist Ben died this Wednesday June 5, 2024 at the age of 88. An investigation was opened to determine the causes of his death.
The essential
- Benjamin Vautier, better known under the artist name “Ben”, died this Wednesday June 5, 2024 at the age of 88.
- His body was found at his home in Nice, “with a bullet in the head”.
- Ben was known for his writings and slogans in white handwritten letters on a black background, available on all types of media.
- The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi said he was “upset and inconsolable, he will leave the image of a formidable artist”.
Live
11:51 – Renaud Muselier salutes the one who “made an entire generation dream, grow and think”
“Benjamin Vautier, known for his varied “writings”, made a whole generation of young people dream, grow and think. Trained at the Nice School, he chose to settle on the heights of Saint-Pancrace in 1975. His art allowed him to think big, recognized by all, in France and internationally, he always returned to the South, to his home. Our region loses one of its artists” wrote on X (ex-Twitter) Renaud Muselier! , president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
I learned of the death of a great artist, Ben.
Benjamin Vautier, known for his varied “writings”, made an entire generation of young people dream, grow and think.
Trained at the School of Nice, he chose to settle on the heights of Saint-Pancrace in 1975.
His art… pic.twitter.com/94aUymsUC9
— Renaud Muselier (@RenaudMuselier) June 5, 2024
11:47 – Representative of the Fluxus movement
Born July 18, 1935 in Naples, Benjamin Vautier created nearly 12,000 paintings. The best known, and the most numerous, are those composed of words, sentences, humorous or revealing expressions of an era. He was one of the last representatives of the Fluxus movement, putting forward codes, schools and academies at the opposite ends of the spectrum.
11:41 – For Estrosi, “the Nice school loses one of its main founders”
After the announcement of the death of the artist Ben, the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi was quick to pay tribute to his memory: “My friend Ben, this wonderful artist who embodies a large part of the culture in Nice has left us. Yesterday, I learned of the disappearance of Annie, his wife. They are reunited as they always were. The Nice school loses one of its main founders. We already miss him terribly. editor on Threads. The city will pay him a tribute “to the height of his genius”.
Learn more
Benjamin Vautier is no more. Better known under the artist name “Ben”, the 88-year-old man was found dead this Wednesday June 5 at his home, route de Saint-Pancrace in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), according to information from BFM Nice Côte Azure. An investigation was opened to determine the exact causes of his death.
Shot in the head at home
Known in particular for his “writings”, his quotes, and his slogans written in handwritten letters on a black background, Ben has enjoyed great popularity since the last century. Accuracy, humor… His sometimes offbeat remarks were appreciated by the general public.
Ben was found “with a bullet in the head”, again according to initial information communicated by BFMTV. His family as well as SMUR firefighters are currently on site at his home. The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi said he was “upset and inconsolable”. Benjamin Vautier “will leave the image of a formidable artist who made the Nice school shine. They are reunited with his wife from whom he was inseparable. I am thinking of his daughter Eva” we can read in Nice Matin.