BIOGRAPHICAL CATALOG OF THE MODEM'S COVERS AUTHORS

14 CONTEMPORARY ARTIST Ben Vautier (1935, Italy) is a French contemporary artist, also known simply as Ben; and because of his unmistakable instructions and explanations written in cursive writing in lurid pastel tones on objects, which is based on the simple theory to connect art and life, to explain that everything is art and everything is possible in art. In 1949 he studied at the school of the Imperial Park and College Stanislas. Ben was highly influenced by Yves Klein, Marcel Duchamp and the Nouveaux Réalistes. That’s how he developed a remarkable personal style with leanings towards Dada. In 1958 he opened his record shop “Magazin” that he ran until 1973. In the 1960’s, Ben joined the Fluxus artistic movement and frequently participated in public performances. In the spirit of Fluxus he became defender of an art attitude. In 1965, he created a small gallery in his shop, called “ Ben doubt everything .” It exposes Biga Alocco, Venet, Maccaferri, Serge III, Sarkis, Filliou etc .. In the middle of 1970’s the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Centre Pompidou purchased the store in Nice, restored by Ben , to presents with its collections. Ben had his first solo exhibition in the 1987 at the Museum of Ceret and Art Labège Toulouse Centre . In the 1990’s Vautier worked in quite a few genres, using acrylic paints, combining script and comic-book elements, producing the ‘totem’ series of sculptures composed of utilitarian objects mounted to form posts. In 1995 he had his first retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Marseille. Benjamin Vautier currently lives and works in Nice. Modem Women’s Spring-Summer 2000 Covers by BEN 1999