My 4th Visit

 Over the weekend, we were visiting Houston, where I was able to fulfill a long-held desire of mine: to visit the Rothko Chapel. As an admirer of Mark Rothko's work for many years, the anticipation of this visit was palpable.

The Rothko Chapel, established in 1971, is a non-denominational chapel designed to be a sanctuary of tranquility in the heart of downtown Houston. The chapel is not merely a building, but an experience, beginning even before one steps through the chapel doors. The sight that greets visitors is Barnett Newman’s remarkable sculpture, the Broken Obelisk, a towering and awe-inspiring tribute to Martin Luther King. Newman once said, "The Obelisk is concerned with life and I hope that I have transformed its tragic content into a glimpse of the sublime." This captivating sculpture sets the stage for the profound experience that awaits within the chapel.

The beauty of the Rothko Chapel is enhanced by its policy of prohibiting photographs within its sacred walls. While this might seem inconvenient to some, I found it to be a refreshing change that allowed me to immerse myself fully in the magnificent works of art. Without the distraction of capturing the 'perfect shot', I was able to engage with the art on a deeply personal and spiritual level.

As someone who does not adhere to a specific religious denomination, the Rothko Chapel resonated with me on a profound level. The humbling experience of sitting in silence, surrounded by families and art enthusiasts alike, while observing the grandeur of Rothko's art was deeply moving.

Mark Rothko, an artistic force to be reckoned with, was associated with the American Abstract Expressionist movement of the 1950s and the Color Field movement of the 1960s. However, the artist himself eschewed such labels. His art was commissioned by the de Menils, who had been impressed by his work in a New York Four Seasons Hotel.

In a 1966 letter to the de Menils, Rothko acknowledged the magnitude of the task they had assigned him, writing, "…the magnitude, on every level of experience and meaning, of the task in which you have involved me, exceeds all of my preconceptions. And it is teaching me to extend myself beyond what I thought was possible for me." Tragically, Rothko passed away before he could see the completed chapel.

Rothko's dedication to his work is evident in the suite of 14 paintings that he created for the chapel. These included seven canvases with hard-edged black rectangles on a maroon ground and seven purple tonal paintings. The way the natural light filters in and interacts with these large-scale works is breathtaking, and one can imagine that Rothko would have been extremely pleased with the result.

The de Menils drew inspiration from the global ecumenical movement, the Second Vatican Council, and France’s initiatives to incorporate modern art and architecture into places of worship. As Dominique de Menil once said, “In the summer of 1952, we visited…the churches where Fernand Léger and Henri Matisse, two towering artists of their time, had contributed their greatest work. We visited also the site where Le Corbusier was going to build his famous Chapel of Ronchamp. We saw what a master could do for a religious building when he is given a free hand. He can exalt and uplift as no one else.”

In conclusion, my visit to the Rothko Chapel was an enlightening experience that has left a forever mark and impression on me. I would strongly encourage anyone with the opportunity to visit this revelatory chapel to do so.