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ART/ARCHITECTURE - Mark Rothko
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ART/ARCHITECTURE - Mark Rothko

Mark Rothko: The High Priest of Grief and Loss

This section introduces the abstract painter Mark Rothko, his background, and his artistic style.

Introduction to Mark Rothko

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  • Mark Rothko was an unexpectedly uplifting and consoling artist of the 20th century.
  • He was born in Russia but emigrated to the United States at the age of 10.
  • He despised the aggressive good cheer and Steely optimism of his adopted land.
  • He learned to make art that was insular unrelenting somber and oriented towards pain.

Mark Rothko's Artistic Style

  • His favorite colors were a burnt burgundy, dark gray, pitch black, and blood red occasionally alleviated by a sliver of yellow.
  • In 1958, he was offered a large sum to paint some murals for a soon-to-be-opened opulent New York restaurant called The Four Seasons on Park Avenue.
  • However, shortly before the paintings were due to go on display, he had a change of mind.
  • He sent back the money and gave his paintings to London's Tate Gallery where they were hung in a quiet Airy contemplative seeming space that enclosed the viewer in an atmosphere of meditative mortification.

The Comforting Darkness of Rothko's Canvases

This section discusses how despite being focused on darkness, Mark Rothko's canvases are never depressing. They lend our difficulties dignity and legitimacy.

The Comforting Nature of Rothko's Canvases

  • Rothko's canvases, though focused on the darkness, are never themselves depressing to look at.
  • Bathing in their atmosphere is to gain a distinct sense of comfort.
  • With Rothko as our guide, our pain and sorrow can matter a little less.
  • We can start to rediscover a taste for life when we see that we're not alone in finding it all very hard.

Conclusion

This transcript discusses Mark Rothko's artistic style and how his paintings lend dignity and legitimacy to our difficulties.

Final Thoughts

  • Mark Rothko was an artist who created somber canvases that spoke of the tragedy of being human.
  • Despite being focused on darkness, his paintings are never depressing but rather lend dignity and legitimacy to our difficulties.
  • Bathing in the atmosphere of his paintings can provide comfort and help us rediscover a taste for life.

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Video description

The most unexpectedly uplifting and consoling artist of the 20th century was the abstract painter Mark Rothko, the high priest of grief and loss who spent the latter part of his career turning out a succession of sublime and sombre canvases that spoke, as he put it, of the ‘tragedy of being human’. Enjoying our Youtube videos? Get full access to all our audio content, videos, and thousands of thought-provoking articles, conversation cards and more with The School of Life Subscription: https://t.ly/2UO2j Be more mindful, present and inspired. Get the best of The School of Life delivered straight to your inbox: https://t.ly/8yZbf FURTHER READING You can read more on this and other subjects here: https://bit.ly/3QcGoaA “The most unexpectedly uplifting and consoling artist of the 20th century was the abstract painter Mark Rothko, the high priest of grief and loss who spent the latter part of his career turning out a succession of sublime and sombre canvases that spoke, as he put it, of the ‘tragedy of being human’ — and who, in 1970, ended his own life at the age of 66 in his studio in New York. Born in Dvinsk, Russia, Rothko emigrated to the United States at the age of ten and immediately grew to despise the aggressive good cheer and steely optimism of his adopted land. Appalled by the sentimentality around him, he learnt to make art that was insular, unrelenting, sombre and oriented towards pain. It was, one critic said, the visual equivalent of a condemned prisoner’s last gasp. Rothko’s favourite colours were a burnt burgundy, dark grey, pitch black and blood red, occasionally, alleviated by a sliver of yellow…” MORE SCHOOL OF LIFE Watch more films on ART/ARCHITECTURE in our playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwxNMb28Xmpcp7jXVszdNruKUtHZ2zuZb SOCIAL MEDIA Feel free to follow us at the links below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theschooloflifelondon/ X: https://twitter.com/TheSchoolOfLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theschooloflifelondon/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-school-of-life-for-business/ CREDITS Produced in collaboration with: Diego Londeiros https://thebrightagency.com/uk/animation/artists/diego-lodeiros?collection=gifs Title animation produced in collaboration with Vale Productions https://www.valeproductions.co.uk/