PRESS RELEASE January 2017
Stuart Semple releases
‘a better BLACK’ and declares ‘colour amnesty’ with Anish Kapoor
BLACK v1.0 (beta) is the flattest, mattest, blackest art material on the planet – and it is available worldwide for £16.99 exclusively from www.culturehustle.com Today British artist Stuart Semple announced his latest creation in the ongoing colour war with Anish Kapoor, releasing a beta-version of his ‘better’ BLACK – which as a coating creates a phenomenal ‘black hole’ effect, with results almost precisely those of the ‘world’s blackest black’ – VantaBlack. “It’s a beta version, so it’s not perfect, but it’s totally usable and exciting. It’s good, very good. It’s already the flattest, mattest art material on the planet – so now it’s time to share it. But, I’m hoping a vibrant community of artists will help take it to the next level and make it the ultimate for all of us.” Stuart Semple VantaBlack is the blackest known material in the world thanks to its composition of microscopic vertical tubes that continually deflect light – trapping and absorbing all but 0.035% of it. Since Anish Kapoor acquired exclusive rights to use the substance for artistic purposes, the art world has eagerly awaited his first artistic offering, but was disappointed when it was revealed he had collaborated with luxury watch designers MCT on a $95,000 limited edition (just 10) timepiece incorporating VantaBlack backing, covered by reflective glass. Meanwhile, Semple has – in the wake of the notorious PINK and DIAMOND DUST – created a usable, ‘better’, BLACK. Unlike VantaBlack, Semple’s BLACK is affordable, paintable and crucially non-toxic, therefore exportable worldwide. BLACK V1.0 (beta) is also the world’s first open-source art material, with the pigment separated from its base to give artists an almost infinite set of possibilities in creating their own paints. He is hoping they will share their findings with him to enable following versions of the material to be even better. The release of BLACK follows an ongoing colour feud between Kapoor and Semple, starting in 2014 (when Anish Kapoor secured exclusive rights to use VantaBlack in art) and reaching a peak last November when Semple released the world’s pinkest PINK – along with a specific legal agreement: “By adding this product to your cart you confirm that 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 it's way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.”