AbEx_MarkRothko.ppt
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Mark Rothko used color and brushwork to convey atmosphere and environment in his abstract works. An earlier painting from 1944, "Slow Swirl by the Edge of the Sea", depicts figures and shapes in a way that creates a contemplative mood using line, shape and color. His 1958 painting "No. 16 (Red, Brown and Black)" focuses on blocks of color that create a sense of space and reflection through his choice of hues and application of paint. The document examines two Rothko paintings to show how his abstract style evolved over time to immerse the viewer in the atmosphere he aimed to portray.
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AbEx_MarkRothko.ppt
- 2. Mark Rothko: Color and Environment MoMA Abstract Expressionism Theme
- 3. Questions MoMA Abstract Expressionism Theme How do artists convey a sense of place, atmosphere, or environment in an abstract work of art?
- 4. Take a close look at No. 16 (Red, Brown and Black) by Mark Rothko •What do you notice about his choice of color? •How would you describe the brushwork? •What effect do you think Rothko hoped to create? Mark Rothko, No. 16 (Red, Brown and Black), 1958 MoMA Abstract Expressionism Theme
- 5. Let’s look at an earlier work by Mark Rothko… Mark Rothko, Slow Swirl by the Edge of the Sea, 1944 •What words would you use to describe this painting? •How is Rothko using line, shape and color? •How do the figures and shapes relate to one another? MoMA Abstract Expressionism Theme
- 6. Let’s compare these two Rothko paintings •How would you describe the mood of each painting? •How did Rothko create a sense of space in each of these paintings? •How did he create a space for contemplation and reflection? MoMA Abstract Expressionism Theme Mark Rothko, Slow Swirl by the Edge of the Sea, 1944 Mark Rothko, No. 16 (Red, Brown and Black), 1958
Editor's Notes
- Share this information with your students: No. 16 (Red, Brown, and Black) is executed in the signature style that Rothko developed around 1950. It is based on a deceptively simple compositional structure involving two or three vertically stacked rectangular blocks of color on a monochromatic ground. Artist quote: “We favor the simple expression of the complex thought. We are for the large shape because it has the impact of the unequivocal. We wish to reassert the picture plane. We are for flat forms because they destroy illusion and reveal truth.” (Joint statement with Adolph Gottlieb to Edwin A. Jewell, written primarily by Rothko, often referred to as a manifesto. Written 7 June 1943; published 13 June 1943) Mark Rothko. No. 16 (Red, Brown, and Black). 1958. Oil on canvas, 8' 10 5/8" x 9' 9 1/4" (270.8 x 297.8 cm). Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund. © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Share this information with your students: Early on in his career, Rothko saw art as "an adventure into an unknown world" and, like the Surrealists before him, sought to create universal symbols drawn from the subconscious. Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea shows two sinuous biomorphic creatures that seem to float between sea and sky, surrounded by arabesques, spirals, and stripes that can be read as musical notations. He applied the paint in transparent layers—a practice he retained after he abandoned representational images and began to develop his large-scale color field paintings a few years later. Mark Rothko. Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea. 1944. Oil on canvas, 6' 3 3/8" x 7' 3/4" (191.4 x 215.2 cm). Bequest of Mrs. Mark Rothko through The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Share this information with your students: In both paintings, Rothko applied the paint in transparent layers of thinned out paint—a practice he retained even after he abandoned representational images in favor of large-scale abstract paintings. Both works feature multiple figures or shapes that seem to be “in conversation.” Mark Rothko. Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea. 1944. Oil on canvas, 6' 3 3/8" x 7' 3/4" (191.4 x 215.2 cm). Bequest of Mrs. Mark Rothko through The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Mark Rothko. No. 16 (Red, Brown, and Black). 1958. Oil on canvas, 8' 10 5/8" x 9' 9 1/4" (270.8 x 297.8 cm). Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund. © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York