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Asif Khan Reveals Super-Dark Vantablack Pavilion for Winter Olympics 2018
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Figure 1: The 10-metre-high pavilion for the Winter Olympics 2018, spray-painted by architect Asif Khan with Vantablack VBx2.
A
sif Khan has unveiled a pavilion at
absorbs over 99% of light. Vantablack
all four sides of the pavilion, giving the
the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic
VBx2, is a sprayable version of Vantablack
impression of stars suspended against
Games in South Korea, described as
pigment, which British artist Anish Kapoor
the darkness of space.
the “darkest building on earth” (Fig. 1).
controversially acquired exclusive rights for
Speaking to Dezeen, Khan – who
The British architect spray-painted the
in 2016.
describes himself as a “closet astronaut” –
10-metre-high temporary structure
Rods tipped with tiny white lights protrude
said he “wanted to create the impression
Vantablack VBx2, a substance that
from the “super-black” parabolic curves of
of a window cut into space”.
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N. 50 - MARCH/APRIL 2018 - international PAINT&COATING magazine