I never liked Rothko; it was difficult for me to get over that "this is pointless and I could do it" hump. It was the Tate paintings that changed my mind. I got to study abroad over the summer and during my visit to the Tate, for whatever reason, I was the only person in Rothko's room for a while. That low light is so important to his work, and that room was so dark and immersive it was impossible for me-long skeptic-not to feel something. Great work; great video, thank you.
Oh come on -- Rothkos are intricate, thin, delicate layers of paint, and the interplay between these layers when they're seen in person is incredible, shifting, moving; as your eye moves, tones move; if you've ever seen a Rothko in painting you'll know. You'll feel it. Don't act ignorant of the effect a painting like this can have.
Steven Steve Steven: in the case of Kyle Van Gogh, he didn't have any expectations when he went into the exhibit. I also think that an argumentum ad populum would be appropriate here: the public and critics have few inhibitions when calling bolllocks on art they dislike; that an artist has acheived critical and popular success is at least some small marker of their skill in emoting. And shitting over the emotional effects of art, especially abstract art, is a public hobby. That any art is held to be such an immersively emotional experience is rather telling. That aside, I would ask: have you seen a Rothko in person? And did you -- since you mentioned the placebo, or more strictly speaking nocebo, effect -- go in with an open min and appreciation of the artist's intentions? Or did you go in with the expectation that 'abstract art is just stupid squares' and a lack of appreciation for the artist's techniques and aims?
Callum Sutherland I'd like to see a Rothko and I'm sure I would get something out of it. Does that mean the painting is somehow special? Or can the painting be replaced with anything else? You could probably get the same experience from staring at a tree. It seems like his goal is to have you experience a form of meditation.
Rothko bothered me more than any other artist I had ever encountered, triggering the "I can do that." response. But the more I saw of his work, and learned more about him, the more I appreciated his work. I went to the Rothko Chapel and sat for what I thought was a few minutes staring at his dark works. I felt a lot of conflicting and deep emotions, sadness and loneliness chief among them, when I left I realized I had been there for over two hours. I felt a sense of peace no other artist had ever evoked. Fitting he was found dead in his own color field of crimson.
@@BariumCobaltNitrog3n i dont see anything of that... what deep emotions and sadness?? how you know h'snot paiting just to see how it looks? this color look nice....
@@Moodboard39 It's well documented that humans react emotionally to different colors, pink rooms in prisons for example, calm agitated inmates. But his paintings are a mix of colors that can trigger different emotions if you let them, like subtle notes of a musical piece. He was a broken and tortured man and I think he painted what he felt. He ended his own life to make the pain stop. But you know, art is what you make of it and we're only here for a few moments, so we probably just invent a lot of stuff that's in our heads. Life is confusing and joyous.
The Rothko Room in the Tate Modern is one of my favorite places anywhere (on a weekday morning, preferably). A kind of sombre, "unbearable silence" and the idea of being with (versus looking at) is such a great way of describing the power of his work.
PBS Idea Channel I'd love to visit the Rothko Room/Tate Modern one day. The Menil Collection is also on my list so I can see the Rothko Chapel and Dan Flavin installation.
+PBS Idea Channel Yes, I completely agree. I still think about how I felt when I visited that room years ago. I can't put it into words, but you have described it well.
PBS Idea Channel I wish I could stand in the room and see his work. Oh well, I might never. That must have been an experience for you that you would never forget.
This is why I love our century so much. Amazing art channels talking about legendary artists in high quality video format, delivered to your doorstep for free on RUclips.
I live in Latvia, which houses the city of Dvinsk (now named Daugavpils), Rothko’s birth place. I went to his museum there two years ago. The paintings, man, they fucking breathe. When you stand there and look at it, so close, it’s like a living, breathing organism. An absolutely breathaking experience, I wish everyone can experience in their life. Great video!!
Was lucky enough to see him seated alone at table in MOMA's garden one day. I went over and told him I loved his paintings but was too shy to say anything else. He thanked me and I left. Have since read much about him and what I love above all is how generous he was with his money. Always asking young artists he knew if they had enough money when he met them. Surely a sensitive soul like Mark is now enjoying a wonderful next life.
I love "He and his buddy were reading a bunch of Nietzsche and Jung at the time" because it completely takes the pretension out of the philosophy of art and breaks it down so it's just like "Me and Sarah were listening to a lot of Drake so we made a surrealist vine of all the times he says Uh in his discography"
It's true, you have to see a Rothko painting in person. Slightly moving your eyes or tilting your head causes the under-lying hues to fade in and recede. It's just not the same with video or print.
OMG ... Please spare Me the pretentious Bullshit,How a piece of purile shit like these Rothko Paint charts can command high Millions is beyond logical reason in the majority of the general populus ,its the elitist so called art world that have created this madness to make themselves seem more educated than the rest of us with their Arty Farty talk. Got to hand it to Rothko and his ilk,they sold the Emperor his new clothes for Millions, its true "a fool and his money are easily parted" GREAT SCAM
"heh, I see you made a spelling error so your argument must be false, tough luck pal!" IIshAbanana... address what he said or fuck off with your elitist garbage.
Personally I find Rothko works the most effective when it's a part of an architectural space. Actually I feel that about most abstract expressionist works. But Rothko's works especially. It's hard to appreciate a Rothko work by itself, out of context. They're the type of works you have to see in person to truly appreciate its artistic and emotional value.
ARTiculations I hadn't actually thought about what makes abstract expressionist art work, so that's something I will think about. Also - just subscribed to you!
Yes!! I didn't get the hype around Rothko's works until I saw them in person -- and it was an incredible, powerful emotional experience. He's now one of my absolute favourite artists
@Taimoor Khan lmao are u commenting on every comment where someone said that they enjoyed these paintings? that's kinda fucking sad dude. if these really make u feel that angry then i dont know how u can say they have no artistic value :)
"Did great in school, got a scholarship to Yale and found his leftist leanings at university, dropped out after 2 years later" wow I didn't know Rothko was the most relatable artist ever
I have absolutely no background in art, and for me is what makes Rothko's work. Because it feels deeply connected, like I have created it, when in fact it has been crafted by a master. Sarah, you make excellent points that force me to think complexly and for that I am so grateful. Most importantly, you introduced me to Rothko.
I love this! I used to meditate in the Rothko Chapel when I was in high school since my school was only a couple blocks away. With those experiences, I developed a deep love for Rothko's works without knowing why, but this made my reasons much clearer! Thank you! :)
Rothko is so rad and I'm glad this video is out there as a quick catch up for those who don't know who he is. I'm so excited that I'm going to see some of his work at the Tate when I visit London this summer! Seeing his work in person is always so wonderfully overwhelming.
YES!!! 3:55 Finally! That's exactly what I feel everytime I see his paintings. That's why I loved him since I saw his work for the first time but couldn't explain it until now: "You're not looking at the paintings. You're with them and within them." Thank you!
I love this. I love these videos and how we can learn about famed artists and how they shape and influence the modern art world as well as the history of art. Anyone can read an art book, but this material provided is something that will feed a retention and a greater appreciation for the artist. It humanizes the artist and his body of work. It makes the history not so much a lesson, but more so an entertaining tangent. This is fabulous. Please, continue to make these videos, for they inspire me as well and my work. Thank you.
Loved this video. I would have to agree that the immersive experience the only way to truly connect with Rothko's work. On a field trip in middle school, I remember going to several Houston art museums, appreciating the art that fit with my personal taste and ignoring the more medieval and baroque works. About 30 seconds after you walk into the chapel, you start to understand that quintessential "Rothko feeling", capable of inspiring reflection in even the most skeptical teenagers.
This really changed my perspective on Mark Rothko and lead me to more deeply learn about him and his work. Thank you, Art Assignment, for making me revisit my old, outdated assumptions about “box painter” and curse you for leading me down this rabbit hole!
I live 3 hours from the Rothko Chapel; never been, in no hurry to go. I don't _like_ his art any better than I ever did (Abstract Expressionism as a school leaves me cold), but I do now understand better what he was doing.
Loved this little excursion, very educational. :) The power of colours is not to be underestimated. I am learning to love styles and concepts for which I did not have an appreciation before. Those paintings draw me closer and trap me inside of their world and it is indeed a deeply emotional experience. Sometimes it's too much to bear.
@theartassignment I love your channel and am so glad I discovered it. I was deadset against abstract art for a time and other forms of art, literature, poetry, etc. but channels like this one are really showing me that there’s more to these mediums. I love exploring this new world and I’m so grateful a channel like yours puts out such consistent and great content that helps me do that. Thank you.
Rothko tried to paint portraits and landscapes in his earlier years but they were really bad. So he began his minimalist style and became very very popular in the abstract world. He was worried that people were buying his works just to be trendy and not really understanding what they were meant for. He was right to worry as that is exactly what happened. He churned out paintings like a printing press and now his works are sold for millions to rich people who really could care less what they look like as long as they get to say "I just bought a rothko".
Not sure if OP's comment implies either position, but I'm curious as to how knowing all of that adds or detracts from Rothko's work's perceived technical proficiency or artistic meaning.
Isn't that more or less true of so many artists? In pretty much all media? I am in theatre and can tell you point blank a lot of folks haven't a clue as to what Shakespeare means (and I am in no way talking about the language).
I have to say that i typically don't frequent in the painting form of art, but watching this wonderful section of the art assignment is extremely provocative.
Very happy to see this video. I have recently been watching videos of Rothko where people in the comments section are bashing him. Everybody here seems open minded to his art. Although my art is extremely different from his, I do focus a lot on color theory which he does. I admire what he does with color. It is amazing.
I'm a ceramic artist, but Rothko is such an inspiration for my work even though it's canvas painting. He's more than just rectangles and color. They're 3 dimensional and absorbing and like you said, you "feel" the emotion of being engulfed in this texture and depth.
I was fortunate to see a Rothko retrospective in the Guggenheim in the seventies It began at the top with his early works. Gradually one followed his process until at the bottom Only darkness and I burst into tears, I was completely overwhelmed by such sadness and hopelessness,i was stunned.He made me feel HIM and I have loved him ever since
I remember seeing Rothko for the first time in the Tate. Standing in front of the works, I could feel the cold empty wind of the void gently winding it's tentacles around my soul and pulling me ever so slightly towards insanity. Fantastic experience. I believe I've left a very small part of me there. Forever trapped in the dark colors. It just feels like a piece of me is there, calling me, asking me to come back...
The Rothko room at the Tate does it for me, no.... Does it TO ME every time. Can't explain it. I never tire of it and the works seem fresh every time, as if I never saw them before. This video makes a good case. If you haven't been, then put this on your bucket list.
Rothko is so contemporary. The strong presence of dualism, undefined contours and heavy emotional charge. Reflects much and it’s an ode to the confusion and uncertainty of our days. I love it!
I felt dismissive of some of his simpler works, but seeing his art in a broader context, and particularly where I had a sense of scale, has helped my appreciation. I don't like all of his paintings, but there is something about some of them. Certainly I can imagine that experiancing them in person would be more impactful than simply watching them in a video on my iPad. This was a great educational video. I would enjoying seeing more like this.
Thanks for this video, Sarah and team! I can't say I now completely "get" Rothko, but now I can at least see how it's not just a guy painting a bunch of rectangles of different colors.
Yvves Klein is the artist who inspired a artist named Piero Manzoni to sell cans of his own poop as art. After seeing an exhibit of Klein’s multiple canvases of blue paint he was convinced that an artist could sell anything as long as the artist was popular with the wealthy. So he pooped in multiple tin cans and called the “art pieces” “Artist’s Shit” and sold them. A can of his poop sold to Sotheby’s for $30k and that was considered a discount as his other cans of poo sold for much more. This is not a joke it’s 100% true. Hope this changes people’s feelings about artists like Klein, pollock, and Rothko as they are all frauds.
Rothko has been one of my favourites of all of the painters whose works I have been fortunate enough to experience. His paintings really do have a transcendent quality about them when seen in person.
I think Rothko is one of those artists whose work definitely needs and deserves to be explained. Without understanding his language or intentions, someone might claim that their "kid could do that" or that his paintings are "all the same". And to discard Rothko is to miss out on a whole lot of truth and beauty. What I love about Mark Rothko is that he spent years and years exploring the foundational emotions of humanity whilst utilizing the same painting language. He painted in order to communicate with the everyday wo/man and truly understand their emotions. He never tired of the search for what makes us inherently human. He reminds me in a way of Philip Guston, who continued reaching for understanding of a mystery, something that could not be described without art. Both Guston and Rothko seemed to use a philosophical approach--always reaching for more questions rather than answers. They did not blindly stumble upon success--it was educated, with clear knowledge of their predecessors and a lot of struggle to understand humanity through their work. There was never a capstone to their work. Until the end, they were reaching. And that is why Rothko and Guston made such great art.
They are undeniably powerful, emotional works. I was captured immediately by them. I love the way the huge blocks make me feel, but I can't describe that feeling coherently in any way.
Really enjoyed the documentary. Learned a lot. I know most people want to experience Rothko in person, but I have just completed a Rothko video highlighted his work. Tried to capture the size of his canvases while trapped under the confines of video (aspect ratio). Perhaps there are some viewers that want to take a look at it.
...I so had that moment at The Tate almost 20 years ago. Quite an experience then to know that him and I shared Portland. OR in our lives even made it real personal.
Studying some of his pieces now in a unit called "Pursuits In Red", so this was very useful to me. While I have great appreciation and respect for Rothko's works I just can't bring myself to enjoy them, but then, I haven't seen them in person.
Nothing to enjoy lol it's just plain colors . Color does have some emotion response. But we can't assume that's what he was thinking while he did those painting. It could've been he liked those colors. Or just designing
Should we do this in music (removing tonal barriers between the piece and the composer, then between the listener and the piece by reducing musical context), we would have only a note or two played during 3-4 minute span on a single instrument, for each song. Wonder how much tickets would that sell. Maybe if the artist explained it with a lot of smart words as Rothko did, he would manage to tour the world for 30-40 years...
Welp, this just about summed up what it took me an entire thesis to say! Really great, and once again confirms just how cool I think Sarah Urist Green is (never mind that totally less-famous husband of hers).
He, like Newman, failed in his earlier work -they simply were not talented enough / creative - so their only out was essentially to stop trying while continuing to paint; they rode the angry drunk paint attacks of Pollock all the way the end $$$$$ with their blobs of color surrender.
Zoe Jameson Ya. I like the summary and the quality of the images. Nice intro to something that must truly be witnessed in person to appreciate. Gotta love the insistence of the artist to isolate the experience. Seemed pretentious or greedy at the time maybe. They are immersive in person, tho. Especially if u keep in mind the not nothing, everything
I suppose this speaks to the power of the caption. Personally, I don't see the art as compelling by itself, but, by writing convincingly and using authoritative artistic tone, the artist and his/her followers can shape the viewer's experience of the work, putting it into an intellectual context to be understood as compelling.
I really appreciate this video. I live and Houston and frequently visit the Rothko chapel and the Menil when they show his work. The feeling when you spend time looking at the pieces is surreal. You can’t help but feel the weight of the universe when you’re in their presence. It seems so strange to affix that type of emotion to something so simple but its a type of magic you have to feel for yourself. Who needs drugs when you can transcend time and place in a beautiful space like the Rothko chapel? Hopefully your experience it isn’t tainted by useless chatter about lunch plans though haha.
I saw his work at the Tate, it sort of gives off a mood and expresses emotion that, for me, some of the more figurative pieces I've seen lack. "The elimination of the obstacles between the painter and the idea, and between the idea and the observer" is a perfect way to explain it...I'm going to quote that the next time someone tells me that "abstract art isn't art". I really love these 'In The Case For-' videos, cant wait for more!! :D
Rothkos work is the embodiment of the human experience. The juxtaposition of urban life framed within the static state of wonderment and exile is at the core of his ethos. Through his mastery of color theory and geometric framing, we can grasp the push pull dichotomy it presents.
Whoa. Had never gone this deep into rothko before. Really nice, it's a shame however that I don't get the same experience from digital images on the internet. It would be amazing to stand in one of those rooms someday and experience it first hand.
I've seen one or two of his paintings in person and I didn't get the experience (maybe I just wasn't looking right) -- but I would love to paint my walls with those types of hazy blocks of color, chair rails just vague boundaries at different heights on each wall.
The Art Assignment Well that's sort of what he did with the chapel, right? And tried to do with the Four Seasons. Except I would try to have mine look bright and inviting. Do you know how he made the soft edges?
This is the kind of stuff I wish art classes would touch upon so that modernism is better understood. I'll be the first to admit I don't like a lot of modern art. But because a lot of it is probably derived from the same school of thought as Mr. Rothko's and the fact that no one bloody talks about this history, I never really understood it. I'd definitely be interested in more on modern artists in veins similar to this video.
Amen. Modern art is unbelievably misunderstood and underrated. Rothko and others reward patience and focus; it's amazing how fulfilling that becomes for the viewer.
And the thing is, I could see and feel all that in the paintings without having been told. I don't know how he did it. But it's undeniable that he did.
I saw a some Rothko at the National Art Gallery in DC. It is really different in person. I only had around five minutes with them since the museum was going to close soon but it felt like much longer, the atmosphere was just very still and quiet. I would have liked to stay longer but awesome experience either way.
You've given me my vindication. I once told a gallery not to mix my paintings with other artists, because they were meditative and transcendent. If he did, I would kick his ass. He complied.
I went to the Rothko chapel for the first time about a week and a half ago knowing nothing about it or Mark Rothko. It was a bit strange at first until I started to get the emotion of the paintings and the feel of the place as a whole. It was definitely interesting.
***** My first experience with the place came as I was there with a woman that had just had an abortion (which I did not know at the time). It was a very potent place, and it left her sobbing for a bit.
I wonder if he was in his NYC apartment looking out the windows and becoming inspired by the shape of the windows with the different panes basing that on his paintings?
I'm at the DeYoung, SF, sticking to Contemporary and Modern Art that time, viewing with double M.A. artist girlfriend. One alcove and had three Rothkos. The "Case for Rothko" can best be made in person. Whoomp. Better sit down. Wow. Didn't expect that hit to the heart. I turn to my gal, and she's in tears. We held hands, silent, deeply moved for a quarter hour.
Yay Rothko! I think a Magritte got slipped in there at 0:50. That eye is Magritte's "The False Mirror". Maybe it was supposed to go in the influences section before that? Anyway, really enjoy these 'The Case For..." videos! I remember seeing a few Rothkos at SFMOMA many years ago and they were lovely to see in person.
AlleyBetwixt Yep, that's right. It's where we planned it to be because we're talking about how he is being influenced by Surrealism at the time, and we chose that image as being representative. I'd love to have captions on all of these images, but it doesn't make sense when they're only up there for a second. And so glad you like these videos!
The Art Assignment Ah, I see! I think the narrative just made it seem like the Magritte was Rothko's. Most of the other non-Rothko works have little name tags or the artist's name was in the narration, so it threw me off when it was grouped with Rothko's pieces. No problem. I see what the intention was now!
I dont know shit about art and i dont like abstract stuff but i saw the purple one once and...can testify to the religious experience thing. I was floored
If you ever have a chance to see any Rothko ("classic Rothko" in the sense of his later works) in person, do it. It is an incredibly different experience to see it than it is to see a photo of one.
treymedley Strong agree. What we show here is a weak substitute for the real thing. But the hope is that videos like this will get you in the right mindset for when you can get yourself in the same room with one!
This was great!!! I've tried to explain to others why I like Rothko, but all I could come up with was that his work is aesthetically interesting to me. :-) Can you make one of these about Cy Twombly? I love him too and find it equally difficult to explain to others the appeal.
Loved this video. Thanks for making it. However, as a musician, I feel that there is a huge disconnect between the video and the music in the background. Beethoven's 8th Symphony is nowhere near close the emotional landscape that Rothko was trying to capture and that the video explained so well. Why not try this: ruclips.net/video/1ZZ0DYIkaP8/видео.html Weird, powerful, strange music that to me is very reminiscent of the experience of seeing a Rothko. This is the music that Morton Feldman wrote to be played at the Rothko Chapel. Feldman was quite close to many of the artists in the New York Abstract Expressionism school, and dedicated some pieces to people like De Koonig, et al. Just my two cents, there are so many wonderful ways in which all of the arts interact with and nurture each other and I feel like these wonderful shows provide a special opportunity to show the audience these important connections. Thanks for reading and for making modern art more accessible!!
***** Super interesting, and thanks for the suggestion. I admit our music choice was only motivated by my reading that Rothko particularly liked Beethoven and Mozart and didn't go any deeper than that. Alas!
I'm a musician too and I disagree with you view. I think that it's very limiting to associate artists from one period only with music from that period. I often watch modern/contemporary classical music videos on youtube and they always have some Rothko or Pollock in the background, which I found really boring, because that's what everyone expects. How interesting would it be to explore pairing art and music pieces that were made hundreds of years apart? I often see modern art which somehow reminds me of the precision of baroque music or the joy of renaissance etc. Just a thought.
I already admired Rothko when I spent at least a good hour (possibly longer) in MoCA's Rothko room in 1999. What an amazing experience. It was cool and silent; I sat on a bench just looking and meditating, and no one else came in to disturb the fragile, wonderful state I was in.
this is exactly the experience i had in front of a Rothko painting. i only wish i had an hour or so just to set there and live the experience and contemplate.
3:37...Seagrams Founded 1857; in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Defunct: 2000. Tate | Kubrick used the window 🪟 murals to 'look into' the business - and NYC - Interpol "Turn on the Bright Lights" analysis August 19, 2002.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
I never liked Rothko; it was difficult for me to get over that "this is pointless and I could do it" hump. It was the Tate paintings that changed my mind. I got to study abroad over the summer and during my visit to the Tate, for whatever reason, I was the only person in Rothko's room for a while. That low light is so important to his work, and that room was so dark and immersive it was impossible for me-long skeptic-not to feel something. Great work; great video, thank you.
That had nothing to do with the painting, though. You could have been staring at a piece of carpet.
Oh come on -- Rothkos are intricate, thin, delicate layers of paint, and the interplay between these layers when they're seen in person is incredible, shifting, moving; as your eye moves, tones move; if you've ever seen a Rothko in painting you'll know. You'll feel it.
Don't act ignorant of the effect a painting like this can have.
Callum Sutherland Heard of the placebo effect?
Steven Steve Steven: in the case of Kyle Van Gogh, he didn't have any expectations when he went into the exhibit. I also think that an argumentum ad populum would be appropriate here: the public and critics have few inhibitions when calling bolllocks on art they dislike; that an artist has acheived critical and popular success is at least some small marker of their skill in emoting.
And shitting over the emotional effects of art, especially abstract art, is a public hobby. That any art is held to be such an immersively emotional experience is rather telling.
That aside, I would ask: have you seen a Rothko in person? And did you -- since you mentioned the placebo, or more strictly speaking nocebo, effect -- go in with an open min and appreciation of the artist's intentions? Or did you go in with the expectation that 'abstract art is just stupid squares' and a lack of appreciation for the artist's techniques and aims?
Callum Sutherland I'd like to see a Rothko and I'm sure I would get something out of it. Does that mean the painting is somehow special? Or can the painting be replaced with anything else? You could probably get the same experience from staring at a tree. It seems like his goal is to have you experience a form of meditation.
Rothko bothered me more than any other artist I had ever encountered, triggering the "I can do that." response. But the more I saw of his work, and learned more about him, the more I appreciated his work. I went to the Rothko Chapel and sat for what I thought was a few minutes staring at his dark works. I felt a lot of conflicting and deep emotions, sadness and loneliness chief among them, when I left I realized I had been there for over two hours. I felt a sense of peace no other artist had ever evoked. Fitting he was found dead in his own color field of crimson.
Doesn't sound like you know anything about painting.
@@luismangiaterra1031 Thank you.
@@BariumCobaltNitrog3n i dont see anything of that... what deep emotions and sadness?? how you know h'snot paiting just to see how it looks? this color look nice....
@@Moodboard39 It's well documented that humans react emotionally to different colors, pink rooms in prisons for example, calm agitated inmates. But his paintings are a mix of colors that can trigger different emotions if you let them, like subtle notes of a musical piece. He was a broken and tortured man and I think he painted what he felt. He ended his own life to make the pain stop. But you know, art is what you make of it and we're only here for a few moments, so we probably just invent a lot of stuff that's in our heads. Life is confusing and joyous.
@@BariumCobaltNitrog3n Yea, I read he committed suicide - I belive
The Rothko Room in the Tate Modern is one of my favorite places anywhere (on a weekday morning, preferably). A kind of sombre, "unbearable silence" and the idea of being with (versus looking at) is such a great way of describing the power of his work.
PBS Idea Channel where I'm going tomorrow moring :)
PBS Idea Channel I'd love to visit the Rothko Room/Tate Modern one day. The Menil Collection is also on my list so I can see the Rothko Chapel and Dan Flavin installation.
+PBS Idea Channel Yes, I completely agree. I still think about how I felt when I visited that room years ago. I can't put it into words, but you have described it well.
PBS Idea Channel I wish I could stand in the room and see his work. Oh well, I might never. That must have been an experience for you that you would never forget.
yes! i adore this room.
This is why I love our century so much. Amazing art channels talking about legendary artists in high quality video format, delivered to your doorstep for free on RUclips.
And we'll never see their like again.
I also enjoy the many ice cream flavors this century offers.
I live in Latvia, which houses the city of Dvinsk (now named Daugavpils), Rothko’s birth place. I went to his museum there two years ago. The paintings, man, they fucking breathe. When you stand there and look at it, so close, it’s like a living, breathing organism. An absolutely breathaking experience, I wish everyone can experience in their life. Great video!!
Was lucky enough to see him seated alone at table in MOMA's garden one day. I went over and told him I loved his paintings but was too shy to say anything else. He thanked me and I left. Have since read much about him and what I love above all is how generous he was with his money. Always asking young artists he knew if they had enough money when he met them. Surely a sensitive soul like Mark is now enjoying a wonderful next life.
I love "He and his buddy were reading a bunch of Nietzsche and Jung at the time" because it completely takes the pretension out of the philosophy of art and breaks it down so it's just like "Me and Sarah were listening to a lot of Drake so we made a surrealist vine of all the times he says Uh in his discography"
LOLOLOL
It's true, you have to see a Rothko painting in person. Slightly moving your eyes or tilting your head causes the under-lying hues to fade in and recede. It's just not the same with video or print.
Paul Keefer Nailed it.
Nope. Emperor wears no clothes.
OMG ... Please spare Me the pretentious Bullshit,How a piece of purile shit like these Rothko Paint charts
can command high Millions is beyond logical reason in the majority of the general populus ,its the elitist
so called art world that have created this madness to make themselves seem more educated than the rest of us
with their Arty Farty talk.
Got to hand it to Rothko and his ilk,they sold the Emperor his new clothes for Millions, its true "a fool and his money are easily parted" GREAT SCAM
CheckMySix You can barely type a proper sentence. I don't think you're in a great position to call others fools.
"heh, I see you made a spelling error so your argument must be false, tough luck pal!"
IIshAbanana... address what he said or fuck off with your elitist garbage.
"This isn't painting about nothing. This is painting about everything." Perfect. Brilliant. I want more videos like this.
She is just throwing around a bunch of inspirational words and phrases to make the art somewhat better
@@User-f1x3p thats kinda the point
@@edvardskalva hamparte
nah that's just a cheesy lazy line.
@@User-f1x3p lol
Personally I find Rothko works the most effective when it's a part of an architectural space. Actually I feel that about most abstract expressionist works. But Rothko's works especially. It's hard to appreciate a Rothko work by itself, out of context. They're the type of works you have to see in person to truly appreciate its artistic and emotional value.
ARTiculations I hadn't actually thought about what makes abstract expressionist art work, so that's something I will think about. Also - just subscribed to you!
Emma Lindvall Thanks. You are awesome :D
Yes!! I didn't get the hype around Rothko's works until I saw them in person -- and it was an incredible, powerful emotional experience. He's now one of my absolute favourite artists
@Taimoor Khan woah someone's mad
@Taimoor Khan lmao are u commenting on every comment where someone said that they enjoyed these paintings? that's kinda fucking sad dude. if these really make u feel that angry then i dont know how u can say they have no artistic value :)
"Did great in school, got a scholarship to Yale and found his leftist leanings at university, dropped out after 2 years later" wow I didn't know Rothko was the most relatable artist ever
I don't know if he would approve of his art selling at such a high price, by billionaires who exploit the working class
I have absolutely no background in art, and for me is what makes Rothko's work. Because it feels deeply connected, like I have created it, when in fact it has been crafted by a master. Sarah, you make excellent points that force me to think complexly and for that I am so grateful.
Most importantly, you introduced me to Rothko.
I love this! I used to meditate in the Rothko Chapel when I was in high school since my school was only a couple blocks away. With those experiences, I developed a deep love for Rothko's works without knowing why, but this made my reasons much clearer! Thank you! :)
Rothko is so rad and I'm glad this video is out there as a quick catch up for those who don't know who he is. I'm so excited that I'm going to see some of his work at the Tate when I visit London this summer! Seeing his work in person is always so wonderfully overwhelming.
So u do come to England this summer, glad to hear.
YES!!! 3:55 Finally! That's exactly what I feel everytime I see his paintings. That's why I loved him since I saw his work for the first time but couldn't explain it until now: "You're not looking at the paintings. You're with them and within them." Thank you!
I love this. I love these videos and how we can learn about famed artists and how they shape and influence the modern art world as well as the history of art. Anyone can read an art book, but this material provided is something that will feed a retention and a greater appreciation for the artist. It humanizes the artist and his body of work. It makes the history not so much a lesson, but more so an entertaining tangent. This is fabulous. Please, continue to make these videos, for they inspire me as well and my work. Thank you.
Loved this video. I would have to agree that the immersive experience the only way to truly connect with Rothko's work. On a field trip in middle school, I remember going to several Houston art museums, appreciating the art that fit with my personal taste and ignoring the more medieval and baroque works. About 30 seconds after you walk into the chapel, you start to understand that quintessential "Rothko feeling", capable of inspiring reflection in even the most skeptical teenagers.
This really changed my perspective on Mark Rothko and lead me to more deeply learn about him and his work. Thank you, Art Assignment, for making me revisit my old, outdated assumptions about “box painter” and curse you for leading me down this rabbit hole!
I live 3 hours from the Rothko Chapel; never been, in no hurry to go. I don't _like_ his art any better than I ever did (Abstract Expressionism as a school leaves me cold), but I do now understand better what he was doing.
Don't like it either .
These little videos are fun to watch.
Loved this little excursion, very educational. :) The power of colours is not to be underestimated. I am learning to love styles and concepts for which I did not have an appreciation before. Those paintings draw me closer and trap me inside of their world and it is indeed a deeply emotional experience. Sometimes it's too much to bear.
@theartassignment I love your channel and am so glad I discovered it. I was deadset against abstract art for a time and other forms of art, literature, poetry, etc. but channels like this one are really showing me that there’s more to these mediums. I love exploring this new world and I’m so grateful a channel like yours puts out such consistent and great content that helps me do that.
Thank you.
I’m starting to like Rothko. His Seagram painting makes me feel so much weird feeling, hope i get to stand infront of it one day!
Rothko tried to paint portraits and landscapes in his earlier years but they were really bad. So he began his minimalist style and became very very popular in the abstract world. He was worried that people were buying his works just to be trendy and not really understanding what they were meant for. He was right to worry as that is exactly what happened. He churned out paintings like a printing press and now his works are sold for millions to rich people who really could care less what they look like as long as they get to say "I just bought a rothko".
This is perfect. Make a video like the one above but with this comment instead. I couldt say better myself
i wish i could go and put a framed version of this comment besides every rothko painting
What you mean is "I could*n't* care less"
Not sure if OP's comment implies either position, but I'm curious as to how knowing all of that adds or detracts from Rothko's work's perceived technical proficiency or artistic meaning.
Isn't that more or less true of so many artists? In pretty much all media? I am in theatre and can tell you point blank a lot of folks haven't a clue as to what Shakespeare means (and I am in no way talking about the language).
I have to say that i typically don't frequent in the painting form of art, but watching this wonderful section of the art assignment is extremely provocative.
Very happy to see this video. I have recently been watching videos of Rothko where people in the comments section are bashing him. Everybody here seems open minded to his art. Although my art is extremely different from his, I do focus a lot on color theory which he does. I admire what he does with color. It is amazing.
I'm a ceramic artist, but Rothko is such an inspiration for my work even though it's canvas painting. He's more than just rectangles and color. They're 3 dimensional and absorbing and like you said, you "feel" the emotion of being engulfed in this texture and depth.
Bullshit , just color ..all marketing .
This kind of series is what I expected when I hit the subscribe button months ago. Finally. CONTINUE.
I was fortunate to see a Rothko retrospective in the Guggenheim in the seventies
It began at the top with his early works. Gradually one followed his process until at the bottom
Only darkness and I burst into tears, I was completely overwhelmed by such sadness
and hopelessness,i was stunned.He made me feel HIM and I have loved him ever since
I remember seeing Rothko for the first time in the Tate. Standing in front of the works, I could feel the cold empty wind of the void gently winding it's tentacles around my soul and pulling me ever so slightly towards insanity. Fantastic experience. I believe I've left a very small part of me there. Forever trapped in the dark colors. It just feels like a piece of me is there, calling me, asking me to come back...
Ivo Temelkov sure
The Rothko room at the Tate does it for me, no.... Does it TO ME every time. Can't explain it. I never tire of it and the works seem fresh every time, as if I never saw them before. This video makes a good case. If you haven't been, then put this on your bucket list.
Rothko is so contemporary. The strong presence of dualism, undefined contours and heavy emotional charge. Reflects much and it’s an ode to the confusion and uncertainty of our days. I love it!
I felt dismissive of some of his simpler works, but seeing his art in a broader context, and particularly where I had a sense of scale, has helped my appreciation. I don't like all of his paintings, but there is something about some of them. Certainly I can imagine that experiancing them in person would be more impactful than simply watching them in a video on my iPad.
This was a great educational video. I would enjoying seeing more like this.
I love the case series! When are you posting the next episode??
today
Thanks for this video, Sarah and team! I can't say I now completely "get" Rothko, but now I can at least see how it's not just a guy painting a bunch of rectangles of different colors.
Thanks for putting into words how likable and emotive these paintings are.
Yvves Klein is the artist who inspired a artist named Piero Manzoni to sell cans of his own poop as art. After seeing an exhibit of Klein’s multiple canvases of blue paint he was convinced that an artist could sell anything as long as the artist was popular with the wealthy. So he pooped in multiple tin cans and called the “art pieces” “Artist’s Shit” and sold them. A can of his poop sold to Sotheby’s for $30k and that was considered a discount as his other cans of poo sold for much more. This is not a joke it’s 100% true. Hope this changes people’s feelings about artists like Klein, pollock, and Rothko as they are all frauds.
One of my absolute favorite artists. Love it.
Rothko has been one of my favourites of all of the painters whose works I have been fortunate enough to experience. His paintings really do have a transcendent quality about them when seen in person.
I think Rothko is one of those artists whose work definitely needs and deserves to be explained. Without understanding his language or intentions, someone might claim that their "kid could do that" or that his paintings are "all the same". And to discard Rothko is to miss out on a whole lot of truth and beauty. What I love about Mark Rothko is that he spent years and years exploring the foundational emotions of humanity whilst utilizing the same painting language. He painted in order to communicate with the everyday wo/man and truly understand their emotions. He never tired of the search for what makes us inherently human. He reminds me in a way of Philip Guston, who continued reaching for understanding of a mystery, something that could not be described without art. Both Guston and Rothko seemed to use a philosophical approach--always reaching for more questions rather than answers. They did not blindly stumble upon success--it was educated, with clear knowledge of their predecessors and a lot of struggle to understand humanity through their work. There was never a capstone to their work. Until the end, they were reaching. And that is why Rothko and Guston made such great art.
They are undeniably powerful, emotional works. I was captured immediately by them. I love the way the huge blocks make me feel, but I can't describe that feeling coherently in any way.
A beautifully cathartic, profound yet simplistic, intermixing of art, philosophy, and introspection.
Really enjoyed the documentary. Learned a lot. I know most people want to experience Rothko in person, but I have just completed a Rothko video highlighted his work. Tried to capture the size of his canvases while trapped under the confines of video (aspect ratio). Perhaps there are some viewers that want to take a look at it.
Loving this new series!
Nice to see you here.
I love these features. I love the regular interviews. I love this channel. Good shit yo.
Yessss you're picking the best people for this series! So happy! :)
...I so had that moment at The Tate almost 20 years ago. Quite an experience then to know that him and I shared Portland. OR in our lives even made it real personal.
Studying some of his pieces now in a unit called "Pursuits In Red", so this was very useful to me. While I have great appreciation and respect for Rothko's works I just can't bring myself to enjoy them, but then, I haven't seen them in person.
Nothing to enjoy lol it's just plain colors . Color does have some emotion response. But we can't assume that's what he was thinking while he did those painting.
It could've been he liked those colors. Or just designing
Should we do this in music (removing tonal barriers between the piece and the composer, then between the listener and the piece by reducing musical context), we would have only a note or two played during 3-4 minute span on a single instrument, for each song. Wonder how much tickets would that sell. Maybe if the artist explained it with a lot of smart words as Rothko did, he would manage to tour the world for 30-40 years...
wow there is already a lot of this kind of crap. And even worse - 4'33" John Cage
Welp, this just about summed up what it took me an entire thesis to say! Really great, and once again confirms just how cool I think Sarah Urist Green is (never mind that totally less-famous husband of hers).
Zoe Jameson Aw, shucks. Thanks, Zoe! It provides me much relief that a Rothko expert thinks I've gotten it right.
He, like Newman, failed in his earlier work -they simply were not talented enough / creative - so their only out was essentially to stop trying while continuing to paint; they rode the angry drunk paint attacks of Pollock all the way the end $$$$$ with their blobs of color surrender.
Zoe Jameson
Ya. I like the summary and the quality of the images. Nice intro to something that must truly be witnessed in person to appreciate. Gotta love the insistence of the artist to isolate the experience. Seemed pretentious or greedy at the time maybe. They are immersive in person, tho. Especially if u keep in mind the not nothing, everything
Uh, where was this video when I was in my art history class??
(loving these, keep making em)
"This isn't painting about nothing. It's painting about everything." God I love this channel
I suppose this speaks to the power of the caption. Personally, I don't see the art as compelling by itself, but, by writing convincingly and using authoritative artistic tone, the artist and his/her followers can shape the viewer's experience of the work, putting it into an intellectual context to be understood as compelling.
I really appreciate this video. I live and Houston and frequently visit the Rothko chapel and the Menil when they show his work. The feeling when you spend time looking at the pieces is surreal. You can’t help but feel the weight of the universe when you’re in their presence. It seems so strange to affix that type of emotion to something so simple but its a type of magic you have to feel for yourself. Who needs drugs when you can transcend time and place in a beautiful space like the Rothko chapel? Hopefully your experience it isn’t tainted by useless chatter about lunch plans though haha.
I saw his work at the Tate, it sort of gives off a mood and expresses emotion that, for me, some of the more figurative pieces I've seen lack. "The elimination of the obstacles between the painter and the idea, and between the idea and the observer" is a perfect way to explain it...I'm going to quote that the next time someone tells me that "abstract art isn't art".
I really love these 'In The Case For-' videos, cant wait for more!! :D
My buddy is an artist and isn’t a fan. I love it, and get it, and then when I’ve read up on his story and it just reinforces this understanding.
Rothkos work is the embodiment of the human experience. The juxtaposition of urban life framed within the static state of wonderment and exile is at the core of his ethos. Through his mastery of color theory and geometric framing, we can grasp the push pull dichotomy it presents.
Rothko continues to inspire generations of children with color field painting!
Ever since I directed a production of Red by John Logan I have been absolutely obsessed with Rothko. This video was awesome.
Whoa. Had never gone this deep into rothko before. Really nice, it's a shame however that I don't get the same experience from digital images on the internet. It would be amazing to stand in one of those rooms someday and experience it first hand.
This is why I am subbed to this channel
I've seen one or two of his paintings in person and I didn't get the experience (maybe I just wasn't looking right) -- but I would love to paint my walls with those types of hazy blocks of color, chair rails just vague boundaries at different heights on each wall.
Empty Disco Ooh, nice idea. I like it. Rothko should have ditched the canvas and done a whole room.
The Art Assignment Well that's sort of what he did with the chapel, right? And tried to do with the Four Seasons. Except I would try to have mine look bright and inviting. Do you know how he made the soft edges?
This is the kind of stuff I wish art classes would touch upon so that modernism is better understood. I'll be the first to admit I don't like a lot of modern art. But because a lot of it is probably derived from the same school of thought as Mr. Rothko's and the fact that no one bloody talks about this history, I never really understood it. I'd definitely be interested in more on modern artists in veins similar to this video.
So before this I never understood a Rothko painting. Just blocks of paint going for millions of dollars. Now I get it. Thank you for this video.
I'm particularly fond of this series on this channel!
Very glad I came across this channel! Wonderful, wonderful work!
I never really understood abstract art until I met Mark Rothko's works of abstract expressionism.
Favorite video from an already wonderful series.
YES. I'm doing modern art at uni next semester so I'm going to watch ALL of these in preparation!
Found this through CrashCourse, by the way.
Amen. Modern art is unbelievably misunderstood and underrated. Rothko and others reward patience and focus; it's amazing how fulfilling that becomes for the viewer.
This makes things so much more clear.
And the thing is, I could see and feel all that in the paintings without having been told. I don't know how he did it. But it's undeniable that he did.
I saw a some Rothko at the National Art Gallery in DC. It is really different in person. I only had around five minutes with them since the museum was going to close soon but it felt like much longer, the atmosphere was just very still and quiet. I would have liked to stay longer but awesome experience either way.
Never stop making these
Wow I've never thought of minimalistic paintings in this way. Very cool!
I think the painting at 1:57 is really super cool. Does anyone know what its called?? I cant find it online!
To me, looking at a Rothko painting is like looking at the sunset, or a misty, cloudy sky. You can just be lost staring at it for ages.
Rothko is by far one of my favorites. This video captured perfectly what I love about his work.
You've given me my vindication. I once told a gallery not to mix my paintings with other artists, because they were meditative and transcendent. If he did, I would kick his ass. He complied.
I went to the Rothko chapel for the first time about a week and a half ago knowing nothing about it or Mark Rothko. It was a bit strange at first until I started to get the emotion of the paintings and the feel of the place as a whole. It was definitely interesting.
***** My first experience with the place came as I was there with a woman that had just had an abortion (which I did not know at the time). It was a very potent place, and it left her sobbing for a bit.
+photosinensis WTH.......?
I wonder if he was in his NYC apartment looking out the windows and becoming inspired by the shape of the windows with the different panes basing that on his paintings?
This is great! I never understood paintings like this before, I've certainly got a new perspective on it now :)
I'm at the DeYoung, SF, sticking to Contemporary and Modern Art that time, viewing with double M.A. artist girlfriend. One alcove and had three Rothkos.
The "Case for Rothko" can best be made in person. Whoomp. Better sit down. Wow. Didn't expect that hit to the heart. I turn to my gal, and she's in tears. We held hands, silent, deeply moved for a quarter hour.
MAN. I wish Sarah/The Art Assignment had a podcast!
3:13 is it Mies van der rohe at the center of the image?
Yay Rothko!
I think a Magritte got slipped in there at 0:50. That eye is Magritte's "The False Mirror". Maybe it was supposed to go in the influences section before that?
Anyway, really enjoy these 'The Case For..." videos! I remember seeing a few Rothkos at SFMOMA many years ago and they were lovely to see in person.
AlleyBetwixt Yep, that's right. It's where we planned it to be because we're talking about how he is being influenced by Surrealism at the time, and we chose that image as being representative. I'd love to have captions on all of these images, but it doesn't make sense when they're only up there for a second. And so glad you like these videos!
The Art Assignment Ah, I see! I think the narrative just made it seem like the Magritte was Rothko's. Most of the other non-Rothko works have little name tags or the artist's name was in the narration, so it threw me off when it was grouped with Rothko's pieces. No problem. I see what the intention was now!
I dont know shit about art and i dont like abstract stuff but i saw the purple one once and...can testify to the religious experience thing. I was floored
If you ever have a chance to see any Rothko ("classic Rothko" in the sense of his later works) in person, do it. It is an incredibly different experience to see it than it is to see a photo of one.
treymedley Strong agree. What we show here is a weak substitute for the real thing. But the hope is that videos like this will get you in the right mindset for when you can get yourself in the same room with one!
Absolutely
I fucking love this guy and I don't know why. His paintings are just so pleasent to look at.
Brilliantly said, Sarah.
One of my favorite artists! Thank you for this wonderful and informative video...
I believe anything this lady says. God do I love how she talks.
This was great!!! I've tried to explain to others why I like Rothko, but all I could come up with was that his work is aesthetically interesting to me. :-) Can you make one of these about Cy Twombly? I love him too and find it equally difficult to explain to others the appeal.
Loved this video. Thanks for making it. However, as a musician, I feel that there is a huge disconnect between the video and the music in the background. Beethoven's 8th Symphony is nowhere near close the emotional landscape that Rothko was trying to capture and that the video explained so well. Why not try this: ruclips.net/video/1ZZ0DYIkaP8/видео.html Weird, powerful, strange music that to me is very reminiscent of the experience of seeing a Rothko. This is the music that Morton Feldman wrote to be played at the Rothko Chapel. Feldman was quite close to many of the artists in the New York Abstract Expressionism school, and dedicated some pieces to people like De Koonig, et al. Just my two cents, there are so many wonderful ways in which all of the arts interact with and nurture each other and I feel like these wonderful shows provide a special opportunity to show the audience these important connections. Thanks for reading and for making modern art more accessible!!
***** Super interesting, and thanks for the suggestion. I admit our music choice was only motivated by my reading that Rothko particularly liked Beethoven and Mozart and didn't go any deeper than that. Alas!
I can also see Philip Glass being a good choice.
I'm a musician too and I disagree with you view. I think that it's very limiting to associate artists from one period only with music from that period. I often watch modern/contemporary classical music videos on youtube and they always have some Rothko or Pollock in the background, which I found really boring, because that's what everyone expects. How interesting would it be to explore pairing art and music pieces that were made hundreds of years apart? I often see modern art which somehow reminds me of the precision of baroque music or the joy of renaissance etc. Just a thought.
Loving these artist-focused videos!
I REALLY like this new series!
I already admired Rothko when I spent at least a good hour (possibly longer) in MoCA's Rothko room in 1999. What an amazing experience. It was cool and silent; I sat on a bench just looking and meditating, and no one else came in to disturb the fragile, wonderful state I was in.
this is exactly the experience i had in front of a Rothko painting. i only wish i had an hour or so just to set there and live the experience and contemplate.
Ah man. I live in Houston and go to the Rothko chapel all the time. It really is a somber and thought-provoking place.
3:37...Seagrams Founded 1857; in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Defunct: 2000. Tate | Kubrick used the window 🪟 murals to 'look into' the business - and NYC - Interpol "Turn on the Bright Lights" analysis August 19, 2002.