Aimez-vous les uns les autres 1992

Ben made ‘Aimez-vous les uns les autres’ with paint on canvas. It’s a dark ground with simple, white cursive script on top, asking us to love one another. I just love the immediacy of this. I can imagine Ben grabbing a brush, maybe not even cleaning it properly, and just going for it. The paint looks chalky, not too precious. I bet it feels rough to the touch. Look how the letters wobble a little. It’s like they’re dancing, or maybe they’re just a bit unsure of themselves. It’s a simple message, but painting it, making it physical, somehow makes it real. This piece reminds me of other artists who work with text, like Ed Ruscha or Kay Rosen. They all take language, something we use every day, and turn it into something visual, something we can feel. It is a reminder that art is a conversation, with artists building on each other's ideas, pushing boundaries, and always, always keeping it interesting.