Scientists' Alleged New Impossible Color Hue Brings Paint Innovation into Artistic Spotlight, as Artist Asserts Creation
Artistic maverick Stuart Semple stirs up controversy yet again, claiming to have bottled a color that scientists claim is beyond human perception. Dubbed "YOLO," this vibrant hue is up for grabs on Semple's website, sparking intrigue among art enthusiasts and skepticism from scientists.
Semple proudly announced his achievements on Instagram, proclaiming himself as the first to "liberate" this newly discovered color. He emphasized its affordability for artists, contrasting it with the scientific community's apparent apathy towards its artistic potential.
However, trouble brews as scientists insist that recreating this "Olo" color in its truest form is impossible. Austin Roorda, a member of the Berkeley team, told The Guardian that the color, essentially induced by an optical illusion, cannot exist in the real world. Claims of Semple's YOLO being the same color as Olo may well be fabricated, he added.
Roorda further explained that any attempt to replicate Olo would result in a less vibrant, less saturated color. He stressed that even laser technology could only generate a human-visible approximation of Olo, not the actual color.
Despite the scientific skepticism, Semple maintains that his YOLO paint aims to emulate the experience produced by the Berkeley experiment. He incorporates fluorescent optical brighteners to mimic the blue light emission caused by Olo. Gizmodo reached out to Semple for comment.
When confronted about the impossibility of replicating Olo, Semple remained unperturbed. He argued that while YOLO may not be the exact color, it is an attempt to bring the artistic experience of Olo to life. This isn't the first time Semple has challenged the scientific establishment. In 2016, when Vantablack, a coating capable of absorbing nearly all light, was exclusively licensed for artistic use to Anish Kapoor, Semple released a matte black paint for the public, excluding Kapoor. He's gone on to create various versions of black paint as a defiant stand against such exclusive licensing.
Currently, Semple sells YOLO for an eye-watering £10,000, but for artists, it's just £29.99. Is YOLO a brave artistic endeavor or an audacious hoax? That's for art connoisseurs and scientists to decide.
- Stuart Semple, claiming to have bottled a color beyond human perception, is offering the vibrant hue, dubbed "YOLO," on his website, stirring up intrigue among art enthusiasts and skepticism from scientists.
- Austin Roorda, a member of the Berkeley team, declared that the color, essentially induced by an optical illusion, cannot exist in the real world, questioning the authenticity of Semple's YOLO being the same as Olo.
- Roorda further explained any attempt to replicate Olo would result in a less vibrant, less saturated color, and even laser technology can only generate a human-visible approximation of Olo, not the actual color.
- Gizmodo reached out to Semple for comment regarding the scientific skepticism, and he argued that while YOLO may not be the exact color, it is an attempt to bring the artistic experience of Olo to life.
- Semple sells YOLO for an eye-watering £10,000, but for artists, it's just £29.99, sparking discussions among art connoisseurs and scientists about whether YOLO is a brave artistic endeavor or an audacious hoax.
- In previous instances, such as the exclusive licensing of Vantablack for artistic use, Semple has challenged the scientific establishment, creating various versions of black paint as a defiant stand against such exclusivity.
