This Thursday, June 13, a tribute was paid to Annie and Ben Vautier. Last week, the artist Ben ended his life, a few hours after the death of his wife Annie. Christian Estrosi had planned a tribute “worthy of his genius”.
The public tribute to Annie and Ben Vautier took place at the Promenade du Paillon, at the Water Mirror. Known for his white handwritten slogans on a black background, the artist Ben passed away at the age of 88, the day after his wife’s death. The welcoming of attendees began at 9 AM, before the official ceremony started at 10:30 AM. This was an opportunity for loved ones and all those who appreciated Ben and Annie to gather and pay their last respects. To this end, the city of Nice provided flowers, as well as notebooks for people to leave messages or drawings. Photos of the couple were also displayed along with his artworks.
Flowers placed in front of a photo of Annie and Ben Vautier © Vicky Warocquier
Between Love and Art
The ceremony began at 10:30 AM with the arrival of the two coffins. To the music “Se Canto” by the group Nux Vomica, the coffins were placed side by side on the stage. This was followed by a speech from Robert Roux, the Deputy Mayor, to announce the ceremony: “We all know that life is this way, as joyful as it is sorrowful. This morning, I would try to remember only the joys. Thank you Annie, thank you Ben, for all the joys you gave me. Artistic joys, friendship joys, affectionate joys… Thank you infinitely.”
The group Nux Vomica played again with “Oie Marie” just before the speech by Bernard Blistene, honorary director of the Modern Art Museum at the National Pompidou Center. Between his speech and that of Hélène Guenin, director of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the group Nux Vomica performed “Bella Ciao!” At this point, more than a thousand people were present, and the group wanted to make them sing. Some whistled along, others sang or clapped to the music. It was a way to “only remember the joy” as Robert Roux mentioned.
Ben the artist’s work during the public tribute © Vicky Warocquier
“Simply, thank you”
Then, Christian Estrosi, the Mayor of Nice, paid tribute “at the height of his genius”: “These words are mine. Ben and Annie, what I want to say to you first is simply thank you… This day is sad because we are not gathering around you alive, but this day is happy because you bring us together to speak of love and art… Ben, living with Annie was beyond hope, you proved that to us. Living without Annie is simply despairing. This is the love that you astonished us with, truly living together. Be assured we will all strive for one goal: to make what you have left us remain always you. You and the both of you, because you came to art together and to Nice together. Because you left together.”
The coffins departed via the central aisle. And it was to the music of “Nissa Bella” that the ceremony concluded. As they arrived, people gathered to reflect, lay flowers, or write messages. Some hugged, embraced, while others burst into tears.
More than a thousand people gathered for Ben and Annie © Vicky Warocquier
