What happens when two artists clash over the use of a color? In the case of Anish Kapoor and Stuart Semple, it leads to a bitter feud that has lasted for years. The two British artists have been locked in a battle over the exclusive rights to Vantablack and Pink, two of the most extreme pigments ever created.
Vantablack is a pigment developed by Surrey NanoSystems that absorbs 99.965% of visible light, making it the world’s darkest material. Kapoor, a celebrated sculptor who won the Turner Prize in 1991 and was the first living artist to have a solo exhibition at Britain’s Royal Academy of Arts in 2009, obtained the exclusive artistic rights to Vantablack in 2016.His monopoly on this material sparked outrage in the art community, with many accusing him of stealing from the artistic community.
Semple, a painter and activist whose work often uses vivid shades of color, decided to retaliate by releasing his own special pigment, known simply as “Pink”. Semple’s pink pigment has been developed in collaboration with global paint laboratories for many years and is said to be the most pink pigment in history.In an effort to thumb his nose at Kapoor, Semple made it available for sale to everyone in the world—except Kapoor.
Semple is currently selling “Pink” through his website for £3.99 per pot (about $5). However, before purchasing the powdered pigment, buyers must agree to a legal disclaimer stating they have no intention of letting it fall into Kapoor’s hands.As Semple’s website states: “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 its way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.”
Semple isn’t cruel enough to ban Kapoor from using this color for life—only until Kapoor agrees to give up his exclusive rights to Vantablack. While Kapoor has said that Vantablack isn’t actually that useful for painting, since it’s so hard to make enough of the pigment, for Semple it’s the principle that counts.
This feud between Kapoor and Semple highlights the tension between individual artistic expression and the collective spirit of the art community. It raises questions about the ethics of monopolizing a material for artistic use and the lengths to which artists will go to challenge such exclusivity. As the art world continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these issues are addressed in the future.
Relevant articles:
– The Vantablack Controversy: Anish Kapoor vs. Stuart Semple
– This Artist Is the Only Person Banned From Using the World’s Pinkest Pink
– Anish Kapoor flaunts use of “world’s pinkest pink” despite ban … – Dezeen
– Turner prize winner Sir Anish Kapoor banned from art shop