Yes, there is a Supervoid S-Chair there.
Death by Modernism
You’re into statement pieces and that Herman Miller Eames lounger and ottoman is no longer doing it for you. It’s time to explore some furniture that’s reminiscent of attending a Cure concert. Feast your eyes on the Supervoid S-Chair, or at least what you can see of it.
The Supervoid S-Chair from furniture company Death by Modernism looks like a wave of night. You can see the outline of its curves, but it’s hard to make out the details.
There’s a certain amount of fear involved. Is there really a chair there? You must embrace the uncertainty and plant your tush on its supportive seat to truly discover its nature. It’s like a trust fall.
You’ve probably heard of Vantablack, one of the world’s darkest materials. MIT also entered the blackest-black fray earlier this month with a new super-dark material. The Death by Modernism chair uses Black 3.0 pigment. Black 3.0’s creator Stuart Semple and his team at Culture Hustle call it “the blackest and mattest acrylic paint on the planet.”
“This chair absorbs over 98% of visible light for a striking effect,” Death by Modernism said in a blog post Wednesday. “Unlike any chair before it, you feel as though you’re peering into a black hole, while highlighting form and silhouette like never before.”
The Supervoid chair is quite the statement piece.
Death by Modernism
The chair is made of molded plastic and can be stacked. Death by Modernism recommends viewing the chair under indirect natural light to get the best visual effect.
The paint itself is a bit delicate, so the chair has a matte topcoat for durability.
“We would still like our customers to really think of this as an objet d’art rather than the kind of chair that you should let your toddler climb around on,” Death by Modernism cautioned in a FAQ.
The limited-edition chair is available to preorder for $299 (£240, AU$440), with shipping estimated to start within a few months. The company ships internationally.
If you do scope out the order page, you’ll notice one requirement down at the bottom. You have to confirm you are not British artist Anish Kapoor, and that you’re not affiliated with Kapoor. This is part of the user guidelines associated with Black 3.0.
Kapoor has exclusive rights to use Vantablack for art purposes, a detail that ticked off a lot of people in the wider art community. This spurred artist Semple to create Black 3.0 and make it available to any artist — except Kapoor.
But if you’re not Kapoor, then this chair is your ticket to embracing the void in your own home. Just go with it.