Today, I wanted to highlight Mark Rothko’s work because despite it being so great, it’s often misunderstood at first glance. Many people might dismiss his paintings as simplistic. I find that a lot of non-representational, abstract work gets the same bad rap. But Rothko is in a league of his own. I first became aware of his work years ago after I saw a documentary about him. I was blown away by how deeply complex and evocative his paintings were, and how he manages to reflect profound exploration of human emotion. I’ve been intrigued with his work ever since.
Above are a few paintings I’ve posted of his. Rothko’s paintings, such as “Blue Green & Brown,” “Green and Tangerine on Red,” “No. 61 (Rust and Blue),” and “Orange Red and Yellow,” are not just about color. They’re really about the quiet introspection that I love so much about visual art. Rothko has emphasized that his work was meant to provoke spiritual and emotional experiences in the viewer. Not just a surface level appreciation.
In the last image, we see a portrait of Rothko standing in front of one of his iconic works. This was meant to convey the idea that his art work is literally part of his identity. Something that I align and Identify with so much. I also think it’s incredible how he uses color field and self-portraiture to communicate this idea in a new visual language.
Thanks for this post. There are numerous Rothko paintings in NYC museums which you can go see in person.