Réédition des bag’arts de Ben (1979–1988) is a major two-volume artist publication by Ben Vautier, published by Fondazione Mudima in Milan in 1991.

The set brings together a complete facsimile re-edition of Ben’s Bag’arts bulletins, originally circulated between 1979 and 1988. The two substantial volumes contain approximately 2,000 pages in total and measure around 30 × 20 cm / 11.8 × 7.9 in each. They are housed together in the original black cardboard slipcase measuring approximately 30.5 × 21.5 × 9 cm / 12 × 8.5 × 3.5 in.

The publication reproduces the full sequence of Ben’s deliberately playful and argumentative bulletins, including variations on words ending in “-art,” such as Bag’art, Has’art, Pin’art, Éc’art, An’art, Cauchm’art, Bagn’art, Cri’art, Av’art, Has’art, and many others. A specialist catalogue describes the project as the integral facsimile of 41 issues, discussing more than 5,000 personalities in contemporary art.

What makes this example particularly important is the unique original intervention on the slipcase. On the front, Ben has written by hand in white paint:

“nobody will never read this completely”

The slipcase is also hand-signed and dated Ben 1991, transforming the publication from a standard facsimile edition into an individual artist object with an original work directly applied by the artist.

Artist: Ben Vautier (Benjamin Vautier)
Title: Réédition des bag’arts de Ben (1979–1988)
Format: Two-volume artist book set with unique original artist intervention
Publisher: Fondazione Mudima
Place of publication: Milan, Italy
Year: 1991
Volumes: 2
Volume titles: Premier volume and Deuxième volume
Binding: Two softbound volumes housed in original black cardboard slipcase
Pages: 2,000 pages total
Book size: Approx. 30 × 20 cm / 11.8 × 7.9 in per volume
Slipcase size: Approx. 30.5 × 21.5 × 9 cm / 12 × 8.5 × 3.5 in
Edition: 1991 facsimile re-edition of Ben’s original Bag’arts bulletins
Original source material: Bag’arts bulletins originally circulated between 1979 and 1988
Artist intervention: Unique original handwritten text and artwork in white paint on the slipcase
Front inscription: “nobody will never read this completely”
Signature: Hand-signed by Ben Vautier on the slipcase
Date: Hand-dated 1991 by the artist
Artwork type: Unique intervention on published artist-book object
Language: Primarily French
Country: Italy / France
Movement / Context: Fluxus / conceptual art / artist publications
Subject: Art criticism, artists, ego, language, contemporary art, Fluxus, and the art world
Presentation: Two-volume artist publication in original hand-painted slipcase
Set includes: 2 volumes, original black slipcase, unique original Ben Vautier artwork, signature, and 1991 date