As a figure of speech, a ‘black swan’ used to be similar to a ‘white elephant’ or a ‘blue moon’ - something so fantastic, it couldn’t possibly exist. That’s how sure Europeans were that all swans were white.

Then, in 1697, a Dutch sea captain, Willem de Vlamingh (1640-c.1698) arrived in Western Australia and spotted the black swan swimming in the Derbarl Yerrigan (given the name Swan River by Vlamingh).

was unaware that it represented an impossible occurrence, and simply carried on paddling upstream. Contrary to what Europeans had been short-sighted enough to believe, black is the dark possibility that makes all other colours possible.

According to Goethe, Leonardo da Vinci regarded black as a colour in its own right and claimed that blue could be produced by mixing black and white if both pigments were pure enough.

In Goethe writes, ‘When Leonardo da Vinci says that black is the most beautiful in shade, he probably means to define its most intense and transparent state, when it is furthest removed from grey.’ Paul Gauguin (1848- 1903) advised painters to reject black and its half-hearted sibling, grey, altogether. ‘Nothing is black, nothing is grey,’ he said.

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) held the opposite view: ‘Since the Impressionists, black seems to have made continuous progress, taking a more and more important part in colour orchestration, comparable to that of the double bass as a solo instrument.’

Harlem, New York, 1962: the fashion show featured black models wearing their black hair (unusually and controversially for the time)

The graphic designer Bob Gumbs (1939- 2022) created posters and flyers advertising the show with the legend That simple, powerful line was inspired by the activist Marcus Garvey (1887- 1940) who encouraged all people of African descent to be proud of their African beauty and culture.

is a truism that underlines and celebrates the sublime significance of blackness. It also spearheaded a cultural revolution in the US - both the Black Arts Movement and the rise of black consciousness led by black journalists and filmmakers. Local shows like in Boston and in Cincinnati and national broadcasts like and explored black interests and gave a voice to black communities across America.

The blackest black of all is the complete darkness of a so-called black hole. At a certain point in space, gravity becomes so intense even light cannot escape. This profound absence betrays itself as ultimate black. The black hole is surrounded by an event horizon which marks that point at which return becomes impossible. Once the event horizon has been crossed, it becomes true to say that black is the beginning, and the end, and the whole story in between.

The artist writes: