Think Pink

Earlier this year, sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor exclusively acquired the rights to the blackest black in the world. Known as Vantablack, the pigment is so dark that it absorbs 99.965% of light, much like a black hole, making it visually imperceptible.


Now, British artist Stuart Semple has released his own pink that, similarly, is the pinkest pigment in the world. However it’s available to all — except Anish Kapoor. Upon purchase of the paint, the buyer is required to declare the following: “You are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this paint will not make its way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.”

“When I first heard that Anish had the exclusive rights to the blackest black I was really disappointed,” Semple told The Creators Project. “It just seemed really mean-spirited and against the spirit of generosity that most artists who make and share their work are driven by. I thought a good comment would be if I made a paint that was available to everyone but exclude him from using it.”

“It pretty much glows,” continued Semple, who developed the color over the last decade alongside paint manufacturers. “Whilst Anish’s absorbs nearly all light, mine reflects it, kind of the antithesis of what his is doing.”

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