If you know anything about Rothko, you are probably thinking that I need to brush up on my Rothko knowledge. This isn't Rothko, is it?!? And despite the fact that the artist himself would probably agree with you (this piece was specifically disowned by him as part of his previous Retrospective shows), I still find it to be quite stunning and one of the most unexpected things I learned about the famous artist during my visit to MFAH today.
This particular piece is part of his Subway of New York series and is called Underground Fantasy. As it turns out, Rothko spent the 1940's creating art that hardly resembles his famous color block paintings and this particular one is perhaps my personal favorite. What I like the most about it is how it hints at his future development as an artist: if you merely flipped the painting vertically, you can clearly see the stacks of color blocks appear in front of you.
Okay, enough of playing art critic and onto a quick tour of my favorite pieces from today. As you move slowly through the exhibition, you will notice how the years have changed Rothko's approach to his art..
...and how Rothko became the Rothko we all know. Each wall presenting a more abstract painting than the last...
...until you arrive at his quintessential style...
...that can make any dreary day like today feel happy, rested and inspired. Isn't this one happy ending? Happy Sunday!
A few months back, a co-worker of mine convinced me to join my company's Spartan Race team. He didn't talk it up much: he mentioned it's a long-ish run with a few fun obstacles. You know, no big deal. Something someone who runs as much as me should complete more than easily (read, you don't really need to train for it). Ha ha ha.