French artist Ben, renowned for his ironic painted slogans, has passed away at the age of 88. His family announced on Wednesday that he took his own life mere hours after the death of his wife of 60 years, Annie.
Annie suffered a stroke on Monday evening and passed away on Wednesday. In a poignant statement, the couple’s children, Eva and Francois, shared, “Unwilling and unable to live without her, Ben killed himself a few hours later at their home” in Nice, France.
Born in Naples in 1935, Ben moved to Nice at the age of 14 and remained there for the rest of his life. He was closely associated with the 1960s Fluxus movement, which sought to redefine art through street-based, provocative irony.
Ben’s artistic philosophy was encapsulated in his belief that “Everything is art.” He often created “gestures” rather than traditional artworks, including standing in gallery windows shouting until he lost his voice, organizing plays that never occurred, and piano recitals where the pianist fled the scene.
His penchant for signing anything he wanted, even other artists’ work, underscored his approach to art as an act of intention.
Despite the provocative nature of his work, Ben’s slogans, typically painted in white on black backgrounds with childlike handwriting, became his signature.
Notable examples include “What is the use of art?”, “Is the new always new?”, and “What are you doing here?” These works gained him recognition, including a place in MoMA in New York, and have been widely reproduced on everyday items such as school bags and tram stops in Nice.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute, stating, “On our children’s pencil cases, on so many everyday objects and even in our imaginations, Ben had left his mark, made of freedom and poetry, of apparent lightness and overwhelming depth.” Culture Minister Rachida Dati also honored Ben, calling him a “goldsmith of language” and noting that “the world of culture has lost a legend.”
