A Pigmented Persuasive Post

In what circumstance should a patent be denied in preference of public use? Some may know the name Anish Kappor as a somewhat infamous individual in the art community after he obtained exclusive rights to the “blackest black” paint in 2016. Many took Kappor’s ownership of the color as a form of monopoly to display his arrogance (as spoken by painter, Christian Furr). I believe any objective material should be available in it’s intended use for anyone. It was created for a purpose, and when someone keeps it to themselves, they are keeping it from the world.

Luckily, another figure in the art world has risen to challenge the morality of the situation. Stewart Semple had been engaged in creating the “mattest paint in the universe” for the last 20 years. He was able to produce it and sell the paint through a kickstarter. When Semple caught word of Kappor’s deal with the producers of the world’s darkest paint, he was understandably upset. He then began to produce “the world’s pinkest pink.” When selling his creations, Semple added a disclaimer that simply stated, “Important: By backing this project you confirm that you are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not backing this on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this material will not make its way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.” He reasons that he wanted to “make a point about elitism and self-expression and the fact that everybody should be able to make art.” In order to stand by Semple and against the injustice Kappor has wrought, anyone can fund his kickstarter or purchase his paints online.

Source: Anish Kapoor Owns the Rights to the Blackest Color Ever Made. So Another Artist Made His Own Superblack—and Now It’s Even Blacker