Artist Stuart Semple unveils Happy Time, a wearable artwork developed with designer Thomas Lehman of Milan’s Analog Lab that deliberately sidesteps the basic function of a watch. Launched on Kickstarter, the project proposes an alternative relationship with time, defined less by measurement and efficiency and more by pause, perception, and emotional relief. Happy Time operates as a small, conceptual sculpture for the wrist, offering a slowed, ambiguous experience of duration.

At first glance, the watch reads as almost empty. Numerals and hands on the dial are replaced by a black smiley face that rotates slowly, completing a full turn once every hour, while a small silver dot marks a twelve-hour cycle. This minimal design provides only the loosest indication of passing time, resisting precision by design. Semple describes the object as a device that invites stillness instead of urgency. ‘It is a small object, but it gives you a small moment of calm every time you see it,’ the artist shares.

The dial is coated in Black 4.0, Semple’s ultra-matte acrylic paint developed over more than a decade of experimentation. Absorbing nearly all visible light, the surface reads as a velvety void, flattening depth and muting reflection.

all images courtesy of Stuart Semple and Thomas Lehman

happy time questions timekeeping with rotating smiley face

The steel case of the watch is finely machined and balanced for everyday wear, while a high-clarity crystal lens gives the rotating elements a floating presence. A Japanese Miyota movement drives the mechanism, maintaining consistency without drawing attention to itself. Materials are selected for longevity and tactility, with recyclable components used throughout. An optional crystal caseback exposes the movement, reframing the watch as a transparent kinetic object rather than a sealed instrument.

British artist Stuart Semple conceived Happy Time after observing a close friend in the art world who, despite outward success, seemed depleted by constant pressure. The watch was imagined as a way to soften daily rhythms, an object that slows perception. In this sense, Happy Time aligns with broader cultural fatigue around productivity metrics, screens, and constant quantification. Semple and Lehman treat the watch as a conceptual starting point, questioning timekeeping.

the project proposes an alternative relationship with time

a Japanese Miyota movement drives the mechanism

numerals and hands on the dial are replaced by a black smiley face

the rotating face completes a full turn once every hour

resisting precision by design

the dial is coated in Black 4.0, Semple’s ultra-matte acrylic paint

Happy Time operates as a small, conceptual sculpture for the wrist

the watch was imagined as a way to soften daily rhythms

project info:

name: Happy Time

artists / designers: Stuart Semple | @stuartsemple in collaboration with Thomas Lehman (Analog Lab)

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British artist Stuart Semple unveils Bloom, a sprawling, glow-in-the-dark installation of 5,000 vividly colored 3D printed flowers at Jersey Zoo, UK, transforming the grounds of Les Augrès Manor into a surreal meadow. On view from June 6 through September 2025, the artwork commemorates the visionary approach of British naturalist Gerald Durrell to zoo-led conservation while embodying Semple’s activist-driven practice rooted in accessibility and ecological responsibility.

Measuring seven by seven meters, the floral field is filled with six of Durrell’s favorite flowers—chrysanthemums, freesias, roses, scarlet pimpernel, crocuses, and pink magnolias—each sculpted from sustainable bioresin made of recycled castor oil and plant fibers. The flowers are hand-painted in radiant hues and coated with Semple’s proprietary ‘Lit’ pigment, allowing them to absorb sunlight and emit a gentle glow after dark. 

images courtesy of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust / Stuart Semple

a vibrant call for collective action

Stuart Semple, whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, performance, and social intervention, describes Bloom as a personal full-circle moment. ‘Ever since I visited Jersey Zoo as an 8-year-old child, it’s had a place in my heart,’ the artist shares. ‘This project means the world to me, because now more than ever, Gerry’s philosophy and his conservation ethics are vital to the planet.’ Known for his colorful provocations and democratizing gestures—such as developing the Pinkest Pink and campaigning for open access to creative materials—Semple brings the same ethos to Bloom, using art to empower public agency and celebrate collective impact.

Stuart Semple presents Bloom

the installation is a living tribute to gerald durrell’s legacy

Positioned in the heart of Jersey Zoo, the installation is commissioned by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust as part of GD100, the year-long celebration of what would have been naturalist Gerald Durrell’s 100th birthday, holding special significance for the community. ‘The flowers in Bloom are some of Gerry’s favorites, and I know he would’ve loved to see the colorful meadow pop up in the courtyard of his cherished Les Augrès Manor,’ says Lee Durrell, Honorary Director of the trust. 

Each bloom in the installation is both a tribute and a call to action. By offering the flower sculptures for public purchase, Durrell and Semple invite individuals to literally take a piece of conservation home. Proceeds directly support the trust’s global mission to save species from extinction, with each flower symbolizing a node in the larger network of supporters, scientists, and dreamers who share in Durrell’s original vision of a wilder, healthier world.

a sprawling, glow-in-the-dark installation of 5,000 vividly colored 3D printed flowers

transforming the grounds of Les Augrès Manor at Jersey Zoo, UK, into a surreal meadow

the artwork commemorates the visionary approach of British naturalist Gerald Durrell

the floral field is filled with six of Durrell’s favorite flowers

chrysanthemums, freesias, roses, scarlet pimpernel, crocuses, and pink magnolias

the flowers are hand-painted in radiant hues and coated with Semple’s proprietary ‘Lit’ pigment

sculpted from sustainable bioresin made of recycled castor oil and plant fibers

the flowers absorb daylight

known for his colorful provocations and democratizing gestures, Semple brings the same ethos to Bloom

Semple’s ‘Lit’ pigment allows the meadow to glow at night

each bloom in the installation is both a tribute and a call to action

project info:

name: Bloom

artist: Stuart Semple | @stuartsemple

location: Jersey Zoo, Channel Islands, UK

dimensions: 7 x 7 meters

dates: June 6 – September 2025

commissioner: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust | @durrell_jerseyzoo

The post glowing meadow of 3D printed flowers by stuart semple takes over jersey zoo in the UK appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Stuart Semple develops an acrylic paint based on the invisible Olo color that scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, recently discovered. Named YOLO, the artist writes on his Instagram post, ‘I’ve already liberated it.’ It’s because the researchers say this blue-green shade with an ‘unparalleled saturation’ is new, that it hasn’t been seen in public, invisible to the naked eye. Like his blackest ink and barbiest pink, he has made the Olo color available.

The acrylic paint blends high-frequency pigments and brighteners to let artist stimulate ‘specific wavelengths of visual experience.’ And by artists, Stuart Semple means that the Olo color acrylic paint is much more affordable for the creatives. Non-artists can buy the paint for 13,548.48 USD (yes, thousands of dollars). For the creatives, however, they can own Stuart Semple’s Olo color paint for 29.99 GBP (or 39,89). ‘To the best of your knowledge, information, and belief, this YOLO material will not make its way into the hands of a non-artist,’ he says.

Stuart Semple holding YOLO | all images courtesy of Stuart Semple and Culture Hustle, unless stated otherwise

Tiny, rapid laser lights to the eye trigger the color

Before Stuart Semple’s paint, the news about the new Olo color made its way to the public on April 18th, 2025. The researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington School of Medicine published their study, documenting how they were able to discover the invisible shade. They begin by understanding what colors people’s eyes see and narrow it down to three types of ‘cone’ cells. The S cones, or short wavelengths, see blue light, while the M cones, or medium wavelengths, see green light.

Then, there are the L cones, or long wavelengths, which see the red light. The researchers say that the M and L cones overlap a lot, so there’s no natural light that can only trigger the M cones alone. The study then questions what would happen if only the M (green) cones become stimulated. For the study, the team develops and uses micro-lasers that target individual cells in the eyes. They call it the Oz system, which aims to activate only the M cones. The scientists scan the retina first to figure out the position of the cone cells in the eyes. Once they have the cone map, the Oz system sends tiny, rapid laser pulses to only hit the specific cone cells , in this case, the M (green) ones.

Stuart Semple’s Olo-inspired color named YOLO

Oz system aims to help people with color blindness

Even though Oz only uses one color laser, which is green, it’s possible that the process can activate other combinations of the eyes’ cone cells. With this, the tiny light piercing the eyes can trick the person into seeing other colors. These include red, blue, purple, and even shades that they may have never seen before. Aside from uncovering a new shade like the Olo color, the one Stuart Semple has based his recent paint on, the researchers are finding ways to use the Oz system to study eye disease and vision loss. So far, they’re trying to explore if they can use the cone-by-cone activation to simulate cone loss in people without eye diseases.

They’re also looking into helping people with color blindness and letting them see all the colors of the rainbow using rapid lasers into the retina. On top of that, they’re exploring if they can use the technique to allow humans to see in tetrachromatic color, as if they had four sets of cone cells. In the meantime, the researchers have shared their findings with the public, enough to pique their interest as to whether or not the new shade hasn’t existed before. At least with Stuart Semple, the Olo color appears vividly visible as a high-frequency acrylic paint (mainly for artists).

the acrylic paint blends of high-frequency pigments and brighteners

the YOLO paint is available (mostly for the artists)

Professor Austin Roorda demonstrates being part of the Oz experiment | photo by Austin Roorda, courtesy of the University of California, Berkeley

scientists at UC Berkeley can trick the eye into seeing a new color | photo by Trevor McKinnon via Unsplash

project info:

name: YOLO / Olo

artist: Stuart Semple (Culture Hustle) | @stuartsemple, @culturehustle

institution: University of California, Berkeley, University of Washington School of Medicine | @ucberkeleyofficial, @uwmedicine

researchers: Hannah K. Doyle, Congli Wang, Alexandra E. Boehm Sofie R. Herbeck, Vimal Prabhu Pandiyan, 

Brian P. Schmidt, Pavan Tiruveedhula, John E. Vanston, William S. Tuten, Ramkumar Sabesan, Austin Roorda, Ren Ng

study: here

The post there’s a ‘new’ color out there, and stuart semple says he’s already created a paint out of it appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In the latest chapter of their nearly decade-long rivalry, British artist Stuart Semple takes a bold new step by legally changing his name to Anish Kapoor in a playfully provocative response to the British sculptor’s exclusive rights to Vantablack, the infamous ‘world’s blackest black.’ In a newsletter titled I’ve Just Changed My Name, Semple—writing under the name Anish Kapoor—informed his followers of his name change stating, ‘Just to let you know, I legally changed my name to Anish Kapoor today. Hopefully, now I can get hold of that Vantablack and share it with you all. Love, Anish.’

His recent release called I’M NOT A NICHE MAN—a series of archival giclée prints hand-signed with his newly adopted name—will be available for 72 hours starting November 1, 2024. Boldly emblazoned with the words ‘I’m not a niche man. I’m Anish, man,’ this artwork takes the ongoing saga between the two artists to a new level of wry humor. This black text is crafted from Semple’s own Black 4.0 pigment, a deep matte black ink that counters Kapoor’s control over Vantablack, originally developed by Surrey NanoSystems for military and aerospace applications before Kapoor’s exclusive deal restricted it from the art world. A full-color copy of Semple’s official legal name change deed comes with every print, celebrating his ongoing satire on accessibility, self-identity, and the act of monopolizing a shade.

images courtesy of Stuart Semple, unless stated otherwise

How Vantablack Sparked an Art World Showdown

It was a quiet time between the two artists until one of them signed exclusive rights to a paint. In 2014, Surrey NanoSystems introduced Vantablack, dubbed the blackest shade of black as it could absorb 99.965% of visible light. The company originally developed it for military applications, namely satellite-borne blackbody calibration systems, but because of the limitations in how it was manufactured, they switched to spray-painted Vantablack coatings. This shade caught the eye of the sculptor Anish Kapoor, who had already produced a hole made of black pigment, so dark it looked like a void, as part of his Descent into Limbo (1992). It was a natural move for the artist to seek a similar shade, and he ended up finding it in Vantablack.

In 2016, Anish Kapoor managed to secure exclusive contract rights to the pigment so that only he could use it in the fields of painting and sculpture. Since then, the artist has been silent about how the paint is created and how he applies it to his body of work. The controversy of him being the artistic keeper of the shade spread out across the art industry. One of them stood up to him with his own sets of paint, and that artist was Stuart Semple. In 2021, he responded to Anish Kapoor’s rights to Vantablack by making his own paint named Blink. He describes it as the ‘blackest black ink,’ suitable for pen and ink work, calligraphy, paint markers, and brush pens. There’s a catch here: anyone can purchase and use Blink, except for Anish Kapoor himself.

a series of archival giclée prints hand-signed with Stuart Semple’s newly adopted name

On Standby for the british sculptor’s reply

Since 2021, there have been four generations or batches of Blink, now named Black (4.0). In fact, when users try to acquire the paint from Stuart Semple’s shop site Culture Hustle, there’s a note saying that the buyer confirmed they 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 material will not make it’s way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.’

Looking at the packaging design of the upgraded Black 4.0 of Stuart Semple, the logo seems to resemble the middle finger that Anish Kapoor dipped into the British artist’s World’s Pinkest Pink powdered paint. Even this shade of pink has the disclaimer that anyone who buys it should not be related to and associated with Anish Kapoor. The dubbed feud between the artists may reach their decade celebration in 2026, but before that, Stuart Semple pulls a surprise for Anish Kapoor by changing his name to his. All eyes are now on Anish Kapoor to see if he’ll respond to this stunt—and if their past exchanges are any indication, his reply will likely come in artistic form.

the print will be available for 72 hours starting November 1, 2024

boldly emblazoned with the words ‘I’m not a niche man. I’m Anish, man,’

a full-color copy of Semple’s official legal name change deed comes with every print

the dubbed feud between the artists may reach their decade celebration in 2026

this artwork takes the ongoing saga between the two artists to a new level of wry humor

anyone who buys this shade should not be related to Kapoor | image courtesy of Anish Kapoor via @dirty_corner

Kapoor secured exclusive contract rights to the pigment | image courtesy of Anish Kapoor via @dirty_corner

Semple pulls a surprise for Kapoor by changing his name to his | image courtesy of Anish Kapoor via @dirty_corner

project info:

name: I’M NOT A NICHE MAN
artist: Stuart Semple | @stuartsemple

The post stuart semple signs his artworks NOT A NICHE MAN under new legal name, anish kapoor appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

British artist Stuart Semple joins the Barbie world by unveiling PINKIE, the Barbiest Pink paint anyone can own as long as they are not associated with Mattel, the owner of the Barbie brand. For the Barbiest pink PINKIE, Stuart Semple, who has rivaled Anish Kapoor’s exclusive rights to Vantablack with his own blackest black ink BLINK, blends high-quality acrylic resins, optical brighteners, and new fluorescent pigments to make a shade of doll pink alike the recognizable Barbie pink. PINKIE the Barbiest Pink comes forth as the artist’s response to Mattel’s registered trademark over the doll’s signature color.

Stuart Semple shares that he has had it with corporations who seem to be fans of exclusivity and patenting colors. ‘I mean, painting an entire Malibu Dreamhouse in the stuff when there’s a global shortage, is all shades of wrong. Anyway, PINKIE is way pinker than theirs, and there’s plenty to go around,’ says Stuart Semple. With PINKIE paint, artists and creatives who are fans of the Barbie-pink shade, or even anyone who just wants to use them, may use it in their art or personal desire without the fear of being chased by corporations and personalities that have registered the certain color for their own use.

images courtesy of Stuart Semple and Culture Hustle

Stuart semple makes controlled colors available for public use

British artist Stuart Semple takes a stand against what he calls ‘BIG COLOUR’ or corporations that control the use of certain colors. Famous for his initial creation of PINK, the world’s Pinkest Pink which springs as his response to artist Anish Kapoor’s exclusive artistic rights to Vantablack, Stuart Semple and his team have since then continued to create shades of color produced by artists, creative, and corporations that have gained control over them and make them available to everyone to use, affordably and on a not-for-profit basis.

His recent release captures the bubbly and translucent character of the recognizable doll, allowing anyone to add a touch of Stuart Semple’s Barbiest Pink to their art, objects, and life. Other colors that the artist has made include Black 3.0, the world’s blackest acrylic paint; TIFF, which liberated Tiffany Blue; and IKB (Incredibly Kleinish Blue), a version of (arguably the most iconic) blue which is IKB (International Klein Blue), famously authored by Yves Klein. Stuart Semple also took Adobe and Pantone to task with his free plugin FREETONE, offering a total of 1,280 colors for free and public access.

PINKIE the barbiest pink comes as a response to Mattel’s registered trademark over the signature color

Culture Hustle owns PINKIE the barbiest pink

When visitors go to Culture Hustle – Stuart Semple’s online art shop where PINKIE paint the Barbiest Pink can be bought – they are asked if they agree that they are not an employee of Mattel or associated with Mattel, and that to the best of their knowledge, information, and belief, the new PINKIE paint will not make its way into the hands of anyone at Mattel. As soon as they agree with the terms, the paint is shipped to their place, ready to be used or complemented with other colors.

The pop-up also comes with an Anish Kapoor cookie version where the button states ‘I am not Anish Kapoor and I am happy with cookies.’ ‘We have been making paint here in the studio for years, we’ve always used it as a form of protest. The Pinkest Pink was a way to stand up to Anish Kapoor’s exclusive rights over the blackest black. Now, with Mattel using up all the pink paint, and suing people for using the color, it makes total sense to make a new, even pinker even brighter pink,’ says Stuart Semple.

Stuart Semple shares that he has had it with corporations who seem to be fans of exclusivity and patenting colors

with PINKIE paint, those who are fans of the Barbie-pink shade may use it in their art or personal desire

PINKIE is part of Stuart Semple’s stand against ‘BIG COLOUR’ or corporations controlling the use of certain colors

project info:

name: PINKIE, the Barbiest Pink

artist: Stuart Semple

The post stuart semple unveils PINKIE paint, the barbiest shade of pink anyone can own except mattel appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

images courtesy of stuart semple

semple says that blink is bleedproof, waterproof, drip proof, mega-matte and stupidly black. the ink uses the highest quality pigments too, meaning a little bit goes a long way.

blink follows semple’s ‘pinkest pink‘, a powder paint that was created as a tongue-in-cheek response to anish kapoor buying the rights to vantablack. on his art supplies website, it reads, ‘this ultra-bright paint by stuart semple is available to everyone except anish kapoor! (who won’t share his black!)’  showing there’s no love lost between the two artists, kapoor even replied ‘up yours’ on his instagram. 

you can find the blackest black ink, the pinkest pink, and more on culturehustle.com, an art supplies website created by artists for artists. just don’t get in touch if you’re anish kapoor… ‘rather than hoard these amazing creations to use all for himself, so that he and he alone could wield the power of the colouriest colours, stuart made culturehustle.com to share these potent concoctions of his with all artists (except one – his arch nemesis kapoor the colour hoarder).’

project info:

name: blink

artist: stuart semple

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