PART ONE: The Responsibility of Color
For artist Mark Rothko, who was deeply immersed in philosophy and Jewish mysticism, color was an instrument of revelation, a way to connect onlookers to their deepest emotions— a gateway to the soul. With this in mind, we take a deeper look at Rothko’s work.
PART TWO: Color and the Composition of Place
Rothko was obsessed with the idea that color could express the full gravity of religious yearnings. This idea is clearly evident in the Phillips Collection’s chapel-like Rothko Room, the first space dedicated by Rothko to his paintings. It has remained virtually unchanged since 1964 and embodies what museum founder Duncan Phillips once called “the lifeenhancing power of art.”
Klaus Ottmann is director for the Center for the Study of Modern Art and curator at large at the Phillips Collection.
Smithsonian Connections
ColorForms at the Hirshhorn is a rotating exhibition showcasing six decades of artistic expression through color.
