The Abstract Expressionist movement has broadened our sense
of meaning for art today, but I have a difficult time appreciating some of the pieces
artists from this time period are famous for. Mark Rothko, for example, is one
of the pioneers of abstract expressionism from his success with color-fill
paintings. Seeing his work in textbooks doesn’t do the paintings justice. When
I first learned about him I wondered why on earth we were wasting time studying
rectangular canvases with sloppy, colored squares. I have never seen a Rothko
in person before, but judging by the massive scale and sensational colors of
most of his paintings, I can only imagine the emotion that I would encounter. I
decided to research Rothko because I don’t give him much credit for his
paintings, as art historians and critics like Clement Greenberg do. Originally,
I wanted to focus on one of his earlier works because of their abstract and primitive
quality, but as I was browsing through some of his works there was one that
immediately caught my attention.
No. 7 Orange and Chocolate
has one of my favorite qualities in a painting: complimentary colors. This
piece is one of Rothko’s later works from 1957 and is 70”x 44”. When I look at
this painting, I feel as if I’m in a state of trance; I am hypnotized by the
strangely vibrant yellow rectangle. However, I also can’t help but absorb the
tension between the three segments because of not only their contrast, but because
their soft and uneven edges are just barely touching one another. I am
extremely fascinated with this piece. Its color is haunting because it envelops
everything I see and I am lost in the perplexity of it.
In
the article “Painting the Page” written
by Simon Morley from the University of Southampton, he explains that Rothko’s
objective was not for his viewers to analyze his work formally by shape,
texture and subject matter, but to have an emotional experience with the “fundamentally
tragic” imagery. He explains that Rothko explores the extreme and harsh reality
of the modern man. I found this very interesting because Rothko’s color filled
paintings definitely give off a dramatic and almost haunting vibe. Morley
mentions an article written by Robert Rosenburg called the “Abstract Sublime”, where
he argues that modernist art bloomed from the sublimation and essences of awe
and terror, branching from Romanticism. This ties back in to Morley’s point
that Rothko’s work is based on the modern man. Rosenblum wrote, “These infinite
glowing [levels of mysterious light] carry us beyond reason to the Sublime; we
can only submit to them in an act of faith and let ourselves be absorbed into
their radiant depths”. The way he moved the paint on the canvas, leaving edges
un even and faded gives the painting a presence; as if there is something
concealed within it, but we don’t know exactly what it is and it won’t be the
same for anyone. The viewer is not forced to have a specific experience with
subjective imagery, which is exactly what Rothko was going for. Each luminous
block of color represents something, but it is up to the viewer to figure out
its secret.
Bibliography:
Simon Morley, “Painting
the Page,” Journal of Visual Arts Practice
Volume 8, Numbers 1 and 2 (2009): 152, accessed May 23, 2012, http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.lib.cwu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4298384b-40f3-42d8-bbea-452c7b077ba2%40sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=111
Robert Rosenblum,
“The Abstract Sublime,” Art News
Magazine. No access online. Found article on May 23, 2012 through alternate
source, http://www.empireofglass.com/abstract_sublime.pdf
I think that Rothko's paintings do encompass a lot of tension and emotion. If you ever get a chance to visit the Rothko Room in the Phillips Collection (Washington DC), I would highly recommend that you go. Or, of course, if you get overseas and can see the Seagram Murals in the Tate Modern (London), go for that too! It's really neat to see a whole bunch of Rothko paintings in the same space. I think Rothko's paintings are especially powerful when they are seen in person.
ReplyDelete-Prof. Bowen
Rothko's painting are always such a quagmire for me. Something so simple yet so emotionally powerful. As I look at the painting you have chosen I sense a hypnotic vibe to the painting. I also feel this warm sensation, maybe because the colors make me think of a hot sun on the Grand Canyon.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this piece of artwork. I love the simplicity that is still able to evoke so much meaning. I really love when artists allow their viewers to interpret pieces themselves. For me, I find a comfort in the yellow color in the middle, that seems to be illuminating through this muddled orangey brown. I think this was a really interesting piece to choose.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this painting because it is so simple and I really like those colors together. I do however agree with you in wondering why this painting of sloppy colored squares is so important. But then again I do like this painting. I like that it is some what simple but yet you can see that it is dramatic as well. There is that great contrast between the darker colors with that bright yellow. And I also agree that viewer is not forced to have a specific experience with the painting, the viewer is free to make up their own interpretations.
ReplyDeleteRothko's works have always interested me for the reasons that you point out. It is amazing that he is able to paint a painting such as this with no real subject matter, but that embodies so much emotional potential. It would definitely be an experience to stand in front of one of these large paintings and be engulfed by it.
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