Exercises Concerning Ego, by Ben Vautier

On page 236 of Ben Vautier. Is everything art?

©2015 Museum Tinguely, Basel, Kehrer Verlag Heidelberg Berlin, authors, artists and photographers [and translator!]. ISBN 978-3-86828-649-6

One of the touchstones of my theoretical scaffolding: the ego. It is because the ego must survive that the artist tries to be different and to create. So, without the ego there are no new things. On the other hand, given that this ego is everywhere, if you really want to change art, you have to change the ego: fall in love – not talk about art – go unnoticed – be ashamed of being an artist – copy – not exhibit – not judge – be natural – lose your memory – backdate – be a failure – become anonymous – stop making art – kill yourself.

Vautier Ben French artist ego Tinguely Basel translation translator art history art