Black on Gray, Rothko, 1969/1970
Sometimes our peerage out in Blog-land have more valuable resources than the web at-large.
What follows are some very interesting links for our artist, Mark Rothko, from unlikely sources:
1. O SECULO PRODIGIOSO
A very nice, clear collection of jpegs from the Rothko corpus. A must see.
I particularly like Tentacles of Memory, which reminds me of a Mark Tobey type of work.
2. A not-as-yet published monograph about Rothko, by French author Geneviève Vidal. She considers that Rothko, by his universal dimension, is "the painter of our becoming".
"Monumental dimensions, a totally frontal perspective, and loud colors characterized their output." Vidal3. Looks like I've found my Thinking Blogger award recipient: Lessons in Art Appreciation, by blogger "Outre". Her live journal may be on hold, but she has given us a shotgun blast of artist after artist after artist. I like that.
"the fact that one usually begins with drawing is already academic. We start with color", is a Rothko quote that she brings to us.
4. If you will be in Israel soon, visit the first Rothko retrospective, co-curated by our editor, Dr. Christopher Rothko. Also has input from Rothko's daughter, Kate Rothko Prizel. The announcement is as follows:
The American Friends of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art is pleased to announce that the first retrospective exhibition in Israel of works by Mark Rothko (1903 - 1970) will be on view from March 29 through June 30, 2007 at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art’s Sam and Ayala Zacks Pavilion.I just signed up for an e-mail alert for Mark Rothko entries on Google. Watch out, world.
Links:
http://www.jewishculturela.org/2007/04/03/
first-rothko-retrospective-exhibition-in-israel-on-view-at-
the-tel-aviv-museum-of-art-through-june-302007/
http://oseculoprodigioso.blogspot.com/2007/03/rothko-mark-expressionismo-abstracto.html
http://perso.orange.fr/vidal.genevieve/rothko/
http://community.livejournal.com/the_art_lessons/4685.html
I enjoyed the links. I haven't seem much of his other work so it was interesting.
ReplyDeleteHe had his figurative and surrealist periods. They don't read instantly as the Rothkos of his color field time do. I think he may have had too many "ideas", IMHO. More on that soon.
ReplyDeleteRothko's early works were like Mark Tobey's.
Much of the whole Tobey & Northwest School (slightly predates the New York school) art was filled with these weird, amorphous figures and full canvas designs. Also, Rothko had the same dull colors as the NW painters & associated with the 40's and before, which I like very much for some reason.
I haven't seen his other work either so this was very interesting. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe dull colours also appeal to me btw.
I am sure the show in Tel Aviv right now is weighted with the older works, because of the works I see in his children's collections.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Philip. I am getting a lot out of MR's philosophy of art, and I'm looking foreward to posting about it.
One interesting note: he refused to allow the descriptor "colorist" for himself. I first saw this as the typical "don't fence me in" behavior. Now, I am beginning to understand that he had a coherent art philosophy that gives a more in-depth reason for this. Stay tuned.
Thanks for these links, Casey. I'm a big fan of Rothko, of course.
ReplyDeleteI recommend the book, but it's not light reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks back at ya', Martha. I've been enjoying your recent works, BTW.