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Opening & In a bed
by Ben Vautier
The official opening of Festival of Fantastics took place in the courtyard of Gallery Sct. Agnes. It was a warm afternoon, a brass band was playing and across the courtyard hung a banner with the statement ‘Art makes me sad’ by Ben Vautier. Owner of Gallery Sct. Agnes and co-organizer of the festival Valborg Nørby addressed the audience followed by a speech by head of Roskilde Recreation and Culture Department Anna Skov Hansen.
Ben Vautier also gave a speech thanking absolutely everyone who in any way had contributed to the festival, from sponsors and organizers to the owner of the local hardware store. The speech of thanks went on forever.
In a bed
Ben Vautier had placed a double bed in the courtyard of Gallery Sct. Agnes. He invited everyone to join him in the bed turning the bed into a common hangout for reception guests with tired legs. After the speeches were over, the bed was carried from the courtyard through the gate to Skomagergade and to Stændertorvet where it was placed in front of the City Hall. Here Ben Vautier was joined by Head of Roskilde Recreation and Culture Department Anna Skov Hansen in the bed.
Innumerable girls were invited to join Ben Vautier in bed; however, it is uncertain whether anyone accepted the invitation. The bed remained on Stændertorvet throughout the festival, and Ben Vautier claimed that he slept in the bed every night.
After the opening, Eric Andersen executed his performance 30 Roskilde Taxa.
Gallery Sct. Agnes
Opening of the exhibition at Galleri Sct. Agnes.
1985
“Art must be entertaining again,” so proclaimed the French artist Ben Vautier. For an indefinite period of time, he will be sitting in a double bed on the Stændertorvet square. Just like in the good old days, when another Fluxus member, Yoko Ono, was proclaiming her ‘bed in’ with John Lennon. At the festival, Ben Vautier also shows a picture of a bed. Because of a huge thunder-clap he is stranded in this bed with his wife, son and daughter.
- Jak, “Forældremødet.” Information May 29th 1985
1985
“The organizers of the festival got hold of a huge double bed together with duvets and pillows. With a renaissance orchestra in the lead, Vautier and the bed were carried through town to Stændertorvet square and here he sleeps for a couple of nights. Next to the bed is a blackboard on which he had written with chalk: “do not wake the sleeping artist.”
- Gunnar Jespersen, “Da avantgarden kom til Roskilde.” Politiken May 11th 1985
1985
3PM OPENING AT THE GALLERI SCT. AGNES, MAY 27
A band played in the courtyard in front of the main gallery space, and many photographs were taken in and around Ben Vautier’s large bed placed right in the middle of it. Speeches were made - Ben’s was very amusing - and wine served. Tut Køpcke, on crutches, and Emmett with his ear bandage, sat on the bed and talked about old days with Addi in Copenhagen.
- Ann Noël in her diary, May 1985
June 30th, 2008
Ben Vautier had requested a big double bed to have in the central square. He lettered a sign, in a bed, to go over it, and then invited beautiful young women to join him in bed. It was generally there by the city hall, but one day we carried the bed with Ben in it into the courtyard of Galleri Sct. Agnes and then all piled onto it with Ben. Tut Køepke, the great grand dame of Fluxus, was also there with us. That courtyard was a place we enjoyed gathering.
- Geoffrey Hendricks, On Festival of Fantastics, June 2008
April 6th, 2009
I think i see me in one of the pictures but i don’t know what the fluck i was doing there.