British artist Anish Kapoor’s delayed ‘blackest black’ artworks will finally be shown to the public next year at the 2021 Venice Biennale.

Kapoor announced he was working with Vantablack – a synthetic super dark material that absorbs 99.96% of light – back in 2014. The material cannot be applied to objects in a studio setting because it requires the use of a specialised reactor in order to coat the pieces due to the behaviour of its particles.

Speaking to ArtNews, he said: ‘The particles stand up like velvet when they are put to a reactor.’

Kapoor acquired exclusive use of the material for his artworks, which are being stored in transparent boxes as they cannot be touched after Vantablack has been applied to them. The sculptures will be transported to Venice for the biennale next year – meanwhile, the 2020 edition of the Venice Biennale has been postponed until August due to COVID-19.

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