Three letters, one work, and contrasting reactions. The sculpture Art by Ben Vautier was unveiled this Wednesday, January 14, at Garibaldi Square. Temporarily loaned by the artist’s children, it questions the definition of art in public space and elicits emotion, approval, and debate.
The black cloth is pulled away to reveal a sculpture in the shape of a word: “art”. Three letters, traced in the immediately recognizable handwriting of Ben Vautier, now installed at the heart of Garibaldi Square.
Created in 1999 in corten steel, the work titled Art is in line with the work of the Nice artist, known for his handwritten phrases and direct questioning of the very nature of art. Through its apparent simplicity, the sculpture challenges passersby and invites reflection: what is art, what are its boundaries, and what place can it occupy in public space?
Present at the unveiling, Eva Vautier, the artist’s daughter, shared an emotional testimony: “I am very proud. And I think they would have both been very proud, my father and my mother. They loved this Garibaldi Square very much. They would sometimes come to have beers in the sun, watch people go by. That’s where ideas, projects were born. This square was part of their daily life.” She also reminds the profound sense of the work: “This work is simply the word art. With its simplicity. A way to raise questions: what is art? What are its limits? How to create something new? Where is the truth in art?”
According to the city of Nice, the sculpture is temporarily loaned for three months by Eva and François Vautier. It will then move to Saint-Pancrace, to the house of Ben and Annie Vautier, an artist’s house designed as a work itself. “It will return to the house of Ben and Annie, with the gardens and sculptures. I hope that after restoration, it can be open to the public, and that Art will find its place in the garden,” confides Eva Vautier.
A Work, a Debate
Around the work, reactions are numerous and contrasting. Didier, a 64-year-old actor and director, and Emmanuel, a 53-year-old performance artist and actor, close friends of Ben, praise an installation true to his spirit: “Ben was life. Someone who brought people together, who celebrated, who constantly sparked discussions about art. This sculpture summarizes his work well: it is in the middle of the city, accessible to everyone. You can climb on it, take photos, make it your own. It is a living work, and Ben would have loved that.”
The opinion of passersby is also given. Colette, a 69-year-old retiree and resident of Nice, discovers the work on-site: “I didn’t know this work by Ben, but of course I knew of Ben. I expected something more extravagant, but ultimately it fits well in the square. Even if some of his other works are more expressive, it is still Ben (laughs) !”
Other views are more critical. Fred, encountered at Garibaldi Square, expresses a more reserved reaction: “I don’t find it beautiful in this square. I would have preferred something more joyful, with colors. Here, I find it looks rusty. The square is very large, and the sculpture seems small to me. That’s my opinion.”
Between emotion, approval, and rejection, the sculpture Art sparks debate. A confrontation of viewpoints that fully echoes the approach of Ben, for whom art was above all meant to question, provoke, and live in direct contact with the public.
