Synopses & Reviews
One of the most important artists of the twentieth century, Mark Rothko (1903and#150;1970) created a new and impassioned form of abstract painting over the course of his career. Rothko also wrote a number of essays and critical reviews during his lifetime, adding his thoughtful, intelligent, and opinionated voice to the debates of the contemporary art world. Although the artist never published a book of his varied and complex views, his heirs indicate that he occasionally spoke of the existence of such a manuscript to friends and colleagues. Stored in a New York City warehouse since the artistand#8217;s death more than thirty years ago, this extraordinary manuscript, titled The Artistand#8217;s Reality, is now being published for the first time.
Probably written around 1940and#150;41, this revelatory book discusses Rothkoand#8217;s ideas on the modern art world, art history, myth, beauty, the challenges of being an artist in society, the true nature of and#147;American art,and#8221; and much more. The Artistand#8217;s Reality also includes an introduction by Christopher Rothko, the artistand#8217;s son, who describes the discovery of the manuscript and the complicated and fascinating process of bringing the manuscript to publication. The introduction is illustrated with a small selection of relevant examples of the artistand#8217;s own work as well as with reproductions of pages from the actual manuscript.
The Artistand#8217;s Reality will be a classic text for years to come, offering insight into both the work and the artistic philosophies of this great painter.
Review
and#8220;[One] of the most important documents written by an Abstract Expressionistand#8212;or by an American painter.and#8221;and#8212;Lance Esplund,
New York SunReview
and#8220;The book is an enormously important art history document because, oddly, it is unsurprising. It confirms what the best critics have always seen in Rothkoand#8217;s work: the desire to go beyond the historical moment, beyond the accidental detail, beyond nation or culture, even the self, to arrive at a transcendent and universal experience, to arrive at, as he puts it, the myth.and#8221;and#8212;Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times Magazine (London)
Synopsis
andldquo;The journey to understand the painting is also the journey to understand Rothko, because the work is so thoroughly suffused with the man.andrdquo;andmdash;Christopher Rothko
Synopsis
This fresh and insightful examination into the art and life of the American painter Mark Rothko is presented from the unique perspective of his son.
Synopsis
Mark Rothko (1903andndash;1970) is world-renowned for his large-scale abstract paintings, icons of the New York School and of Abstract Expressionism, and is the subject of numerous publications. In this unique examination of Mark Rothkoandrsquo;s art and life, Christopher, the younger of the artistandrsquo;s two children and overseer of his estate, synthesizes rigorous critique with personal anecdotes.
and#160;
Christopher Rothko presents 18 accessibly written essays that address the use of scale, form, and color and the centrality of content across the artistandrsquo;s output. The prominent commissions for the Rothko Chapel in Houston and the Seagram Building murals in New York receive extended treatment, as do many of the lesser-known and underappreciated aspects of Rothkoandrsquo;s oeuvre, including a reassessment of his late dark canvases and an argument for the relevance of his works on paper. The author discusses the artistandrsquo;s writings of the 1930s and 1940s, the significance of humor and irony to the artist, and the enduring struggles with visual abstraction in the contemporary era. Christopher Rothko writes convincingly and movingly about his role as the artistandrsquo;s sonandmdash;the terms of their relationship, their commonalities, and the distance left by their brief time spent together while the writer was a child.
and#160;
Mark Rothko: From the Inside Out is a thoughtful reexamination of the legendary artist, serving as a passionate introduction for readers new to his work and offering a fresh perspective to those who know it well.
Synopsis
Mark Rothko (1903andndash;1970), world-renowned icon of Abstract Expressionism, is rediscovered in this wholly original examination of his art and life written by his son. Synthesizing rigorous critique with personal anecdotes, Christopher, the younger of the artistandrsquo;s two children, offers a unique perspective on this modern master.
and#160;
Christopher Rothko draws on an intimate knowledge of the artworks to present eighteen essays that look closely at the paintings and explore the ways in which they foster a profound connection between viewer and artist through form, color, and scale. The prominent commissions for the Rothko Chapel in Houston and the Seagram Building murals in New York receive extended treatment, as do many of the lesser-known and underappreciated aspects of Rothkoandrsquo;s oeuvre, including reassessments of his late dark canvases and his formidable body of works on paper. The author also discusses the artistandrsquo;s writings of the 1930s and 1940s, the significance of music to the artist, and our enduring struggles with visual abstraction in the contemporary era. Finally, Christopher Rothko writes movingly about his role as the artistandrsquo;s son, his commonalities with his father, and the terms of the relationship they forged during the writerandrsquo;s childhood.
and#160;
Mark Rothko: From the Inside Out is a thoughtful reexamination of the legendary artist, serving as a passionate introduction for readers new to his work and offering a fresh perspective to those who know it well.
About the Author
Mark Rothko was born in Russia and came to the United States with his family in 1913. A major figure in New Yorkand#8217;s Abstract Expressionist movement, he has been the subject of retrospectives at the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, the Guggenheim Museum, and other major museums around the world. Christopher Rothko is a writer and psychologist and is actively involved in managing the Rothko legacy. He lives in New York City.