A British contemporary artist and creative provocateur on a mission to democratize color. Known for turning ideas into bold, unexpected experiences, he first made waves with Happy Cloud (2009), releasing thousands of smiling clouds over London’s Tate Modern as a hopeful gesture during the recession. His work spans painting, sculpture, and large-scale public installations shown at major institutions including the ICA, Denver Art Museum, the Barbican Centre, and The Whitworth. He has exhibited internationally in New York, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Milan, and shared space with icons like Warhol, Basquiat, and Ai Weiwei.

Beyond the gallery, Semple is famous for using art as activism, challenging gatekeepers and making creativity more open to all. When Vantablack was locked away for one artist, he released “The Pinkest Pink” to everyone but that artist, sparking a global conversation about ownership and access. Through his company Culture Hustle, he’s created groundbreaking materials like Black 3.0 and White 2.0, keeping the world’s most vibrant, blackest, and whitest paints available for artists everywhere. Named a UN “Happiness Hero,” Semple continues to bring joy and color to public spaces worldwide, inviting hundreds of thousands to take part in shared moments of creativity.

As a longtime lover of Liquitex, we are thrilled to have partnered with Stuart on the creation of SUBSTANCE.