Stuart Semple’s “Barbiest Pink” Paint Takes on Mattel, and Other News

The Design Dispatch offers expertly written and essential news from the design world crafted by our dedicated team. Think of it as your cheat sheet for the day in design delivered to your inbox before you’ve had your coffee. Subscribe now. 

Have a news story our readers need to see? Submit it here

Stuart Semple’s “Barbiest Pink” Paint Takes on Mattel

Color exclusivity has always been artist Stuart Semple’s battle, from ownership scuffles with Anish Kapoor over Vantablack and concocting an acrylic paint in the coveted Tiffany Blue to crafting a red paint mixed with the donated blood of gay men to protest exclusionary FDA policies. (The stunts caused one critic to dub Semple the “Robin Hood of the Rainbow.”) His latest move comes in the form of Pinkie – the Barbiest Pink, a new fluorescent shade protesting Mattel’s trademarking of “Barbie Pink,” which has given the toy giant exclusive rights to the doll’s signature color. 

“Nobody should own a color,” Semple told Artnet News. “Nature has already made all the colors, and corporations claiming them is just completely and utterly ridiculous. No color should be owned by a corporation, especially a corporation making billions of dollars at a time when artists and creators are really, really struggling.” The contested shade is slated to hit the market on July 21, the anticipated release day of the Greta Gerwig–directed blockbuster, whose production reportedly exacerbated a global shortage of Rosco fluorescent pink paint. —Ryan Waddoups

Dorte Mandrup wins the design competition for an Inuit heritage center in Canada.

Dorte Mandrup, in collaboration with Guy Architects, LEES+Associates, Adjeleian Allen Rubeli, EXP, Pageau Morel, Altus Group, and indigenous consultants Kirt Ejesiak and Alexander Flaherty, has been chosen to design the new Inuit Heritage Centre in Nunavut, Canada. The center aims to preserve and celebrate Inuit culture by providing a space for Inuit people to reconnect with their heritage through artifacts, stories, and activities. The design takes inspiration from the landscape and traditional Inuit knowledge, with a roof that blends seamlessly into the terrain and offers panoramic views. The project is slated for completion by 2027 and will include various amenities for traditional practices and community engagement.

Grace Wales Bonner has been selected to curate MoMA’s next “Artist’s Choice” show. 

Grace Wales Bonner has been selected to curate the sixteenth edition of the Artist’s Choice exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Titled “Spirit Movers,” the show will feature around 50 works from MoMA’s collection, focusing on Black cultural and aesthetic practices influenced by the African diaspora. Wales Bonner, a London fashion designer known for her multidisciplinary approach, aims to inspire contemplation and forge new connections between people and places. The show will be accompanied by a catalog featuring texts by influential Black authors, and will be on display from starting on November 18.

New York City officials approve a monument to Shirley Chisholm in Prospect Park.

City officials have approved the design for a monument honoring Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. The 32-foot-tall sculpture, designed by Olalekan Jeyifous and Amanda Williams, will feature Chisholm’s silhouette intertwined with the U.S. Capitol and sit near the entrance of Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The project, part of the She Built NYC initiative, was delayed by the pandemic but received unanimous approval from the Public Design Commission.

Massimo de Carlo has revealed plans to create a major private art foundation in Italy.

Italian art dealer Massimo de Carlo is establishing a new private foundation in Italy, aiming to create the first private hub dedicated to contemporary art in the region and offer an exhibition program for international contemporary artists and artist residences. Swiss architect Valerio Olgiati will design the foundation’s master plan, while de Carlo’s team plans to organize a competition for young Italian architects to develop the site’s service buildings. The foundation is seen as a significant step towards enriching the cultural heritage of Asti and its province.

Neom, Saudi Arabia’s controversial megaproject, seeks around $2.7 billion in loans.

Saudi Arabia’s Neom megaproject is aiming to secure 10 billion riyals ($2.7 billion) in loans, with negotiations currently underway with local banks. The funds will support the early stages of the $500 billion city, and an additional 3 billion riyals ($800 million) is being sought for the development of Shushah Island. Neom, which plans to be 33 times larger than New York City, has recently secured partnerships and loans for various components of the project, including temporary housing, facilities, and the Sindalah beach resort. However, concerns have been raised about forced displacements of the Howeitat tribe to make way for the development.

Today’s attractive distractions:

Astronomers have discovered LTT9779b, the shiniest exoplanet ever recorded.

One Bay Area exhibition is serving up artworks inspired by Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Telfar teams up with Melissa for summer-ready jelly bags, sandals, and heels.

More restaurants are starting to add tiny seats for oversize luxury handbags.