Kapoor causes controversy

Controversial artist Anish Kapoor, creator of The Bean (the shiny, mirrored, giant bean sculpture in Chicago) and Orbit (the London Olympics installation), has caused yet more controversy, this time with his choice of paint.

It may sound bizarre but Kapoor has caused outrage by getting hold of PINK, the pinkest pigment in the world. Why? Well, this needs a little bit of background.

Kapoor was granted exclusive access to Vantablack (the blackest pigment in the world) back in 2014, much to the disappointment of many other artists who wished to experiment with this dark, mystical colour. Many artists hated his self-indulgence at not letting anyone else using this coveted black and it thus provoked spouts of revenge from various people in the art world.

First, Kapoor was banned from using the glitteriest glitter in existence and now he has been prohibited from using and even owning PINK. As a response to Kapoor’s controversial exclusive access to Vantablack, Stuart Semple, the founder of this new, vibrant pigment has decreed that it is illegal for anyone to help Kapoor get hold of this colour and strictly illegal for Kapoor ever to own it.

And so, when Anish Kapoor posted an Instagram of his middle finger covered in the newly-released pigment, the art world set alight.

Controversy follows the artist and it seems that he also consistently seeks it. Keep an eye on his social media pages to see how this pans out. In what is a farcically petty argument amongst artists, it will be interesting to see what comes of it.

To give credit to Anish Kapoor, despite being ostentatiously tormenting, it’s quite a funny Instagram (see below).