Mark Rothko

Like many popular modern artists Rothko's work is controversial. I would wager that many of the people who claim to dislike his work, have never seen any of his paintings in person. On a screen or in a poster, sure it's easy to say (and I would agree) 'what's the point I don't get it'. But if you have seen an original in person, his paintings seriously have a radiance to them. They have a very ephemeral feel and an energy that extends beyond the canvas even. The paint has a certain glow, a certain texture that must have taken years to develop the technique necessary to produce such an effect. I hate to be overly sappy or anything, but you can almost physically feel the emotion pour off the work, which I've never said about any other artist save Van Gogh and Pollack maybe. Aside from the visual and emotional appeal of his works in person, the man had an interesting if not a bit tragic life. He once turned down a multi-million dollar deal from Seagrams Corp. because when he visited their... Read more

I don't get it...

Does anyone remember the review that I wrote recently on Art and Federal Funding? In that post, I mentioned  that there was a cadre of artists who were at the mercy of critic Clement Greenberg and that he was so influential that he was able to create currency out of their artwork. Rothko was one of the artists in this stable who were elemental in the birth of Modern American Art and, although he had become influential on his own, he traded any potential crushing blow by Greenberg for fame and fortune...for a price."...First, they (referring to critics) plead and exhort, and finally they resort to intimidation by threats and moral imprecations. Each pulls this way and that, telling him what he must do if he is to fill his belly and save his soul," Rothko said of Greenberg.Rothko was also one of Greenberg's "collection" of artists, who once they realized that they had not lived their own lives, committed suicide and, in many cases had named Greenberg as the executors of their estates. Ne... Read more

TOO PLAIN!

not that familiar with the work

OMG, I actually HAVE this !!