British artist Stuart Semple’s work is inspired by several recurring themes: “Anxiety, society, cultural history, technology, connection, community and freedom,” his bio reads. We’ve covered his work here before, where you can see those themes on full display. After artist Anish Kapoor developed Vantablack paint (purportedly the blackest substance known to humankind) and copyrighted it, Semple knocked it off, dubbed it Black 2.0 and began selling it with this description:
[Black 2.0] has been developed in close collaboration with thousands of artists from all over the world. Their amazing insight, support and inspiration has formed this unique super-black paint for the benefit of all artists*
*Except Anish Kapoor
Listen beautiful relax classics on our Youtube channel.
Last July saw the premiere of the Barbie movie, a film awash in Mattel’s trademarked “Barbie Pink.” The same month, Semple released Pinkie – The Barbiest Pink, making it available to the masses with this disclaimer:
*Note: By adding this product to your cart you confirm that you are not Mattel, the owners of the Barbie brand, you are in no way affiliated to Mattel, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Mattel or an associate of Mattel. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this material will not make its way into the hands of Mattel.
Now Semple’s taken on luxury brand Tiffany & Co., duplicating their trademarked Tiffany Blue and dubbing it Tiff*** Blue.
Tiffany & Co. contacted Semple and asked him to stop selling it. Semple came up with this solution: “So I’ve decided to give it away for free with the World’s Brightest White.”
Semple’s referring to his White 2.0 – The World’s Brightest White Paint. Buy a 5-oz. jar of it, and you get a free 5.1-oz. jar of Tiff*** Blue. Freaking hilarious!
There’s a video (unembeddable) of Semple cheerfully describing the paint, and his motivation for making it, here.
Source: core77