Art

Anish Kapoor’s Vantablack paintings to debut in New York.

Maxwell Rabb
Oct 27, 2023 4:23PM, via Lisson Gallery

Anish Kapoor, Non-Object Black, 2015. Courtesy of the artist and Lisson Gallery.

British Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor will unveil an all-new collection of Vantablack paintings at New York’s Lisson Gallery. The exhibition, on view from November 2nd to December 16th, will mark the New York City debut of Kapoor’s paintings using Vantablack nano-technology, a material that absorbs 99.965% of visible light. Additionally, the exhibition will feature never-before-seen works, including standalone sculptures and large-scale installations.

Over five decades, the London-based artist has developed innovative uses of materials like wax, steel, and stone to question our understanding of perception. In previous sculptures, like Cloud Gate (2005), a public sculpture in the AT&T Plaza in Chicago, he has explored the possibility of optical manipulation. Similarly, his Vantablack paintings challenge the possibilities and limitations of sight, evoking feelings of awe and dread with their deep, deadened appearance.

The show will include about 40 pieces, ranging from large-scale paintings to smaller works, as well as standalone and wall-mounted sculptures. Kapoor previously presented his Vantablack sculptures at last year’s Venice Biennale, exhibited at the Gallerie dell’Accademia and Palazzo Manfrin.

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Maxwell Rabb
Maxwell Rabb is Artsy’s Staff Writer.