ART/ARCHITECTURE - Mark Rothko

The most unexpectedly uplifting and consoling artist of the 20th century was the abstract painter Mark Rothko, the high priest of grief and loss who spent the latter part of his career turning out a succession of sublime and sombre canvases that spoke, as he put it, of the ‘tragedy of being human’.
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“The most unexpectedly uplifting and consoling artist of the 20th century was the abstract painter Mark Rothko, the high priest of grief and loss who spent the latter part of his career turning out a succession of sublime and sombre canvases that spoke, as he put it, of the ‘tragedy of being human’ - and who, in 1970, ended his own life at the age of 66 in his studio in New York.
Born in Dvinsk, Russia, Rothko emigrated to the United States at the age of ten and immediately grew to despise the aggressive good cheer and steely optimism of his adopted land. Appalled by the sentimentality around him, he learnt to make art that was insular, unrelenting, sombre and oriented towards pain. It was, one critic said, the visual equivalent of a condemned prisoner’s last gasp. Rothko’s favourite colours were a burnt burgundy, dark grey, pitch black and blood red, occasionally, alleviated by a sliver of yellow…”
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[@Thebreakdownshow1]

I would have never gone to therapy if I had not come across this channel as a young 21 year old back when n the day. Happy new years guys you guys have thought me and many other like me the importance of mental health and well-being.

[@theschooloflifetv]

We're always very touched to hear we've made a difference. Wishing you all the best in 2023 and beyond

[@Thebreakdownshow1]

@@theschooloflifetv you guys keep up the good work there are many who benefit from your content.

[@DrSearingstar]

They are also a HUGE part of why I decided to become a psychiatrist, they really made the difference!

[@Thebreakdownshow1]

@@DrSearingstar how old were you when you first came across their channel?

[@khalilahd.]

Wow this is incredible. I commend your courage to prioritize your mental health ❤

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Was lucky enough to see him seated alone at table in MOMA's garden one day. I went over and told him I loved his paintings but was too shy to say anything else. He thanked me and I left. Have since read much about him and what I love above all is how generous he was with his money. Always asking young artists he knew if they had enough money when he met them. Surely a sensitive soul like Mark is now enjoying a wonderful next life.

[@upendasana7857]

I never ever got Rothko until I had some very severe bouts of depression and then I GOT him and found his painting sublime and profound and I know many others who have been moved to tears especially by his black or dark paintings that filled a whole room. I think they really are a gateway into our unconscious and a world of mood and feelings which can be hard to define or describe

[@Felinedulune]

Your comment gives me more feelings for Rothko then this video, sry school of life, not your best work

[@robertsmith7667]

Nonsense. Utter tripe

[@karanick016greece2]

You're looking at a colour though.... It's your own mind that makes it something, not the painting itself

[@jeffreyolson2139]

@@robertsmith7667 yes, you are, thank you for your open admission!

[@percussion44]

Sooo, it didn't mean anything until your self described mental illness?.

[@ujjainiroy5126]

Rothko lent a strange stroke of beauty to the deep ache within...

[@theschooloflifetv]

A nice way of putting it!

[@Kimromero1219]

It's hard to understand Rothko's genius until you find yourself in a room of his work and then you FEEl it. It's an amazing experience that I was lucky enough to have several years ago at the Art Institute of Chicago.

[@khalilahd.]

Wow I’ve never heard of this artist but I loved hearing his view on life and America. I think we can all learn something from his major message ❤

[@onemorechris]

If the red room in London is too far away, he has a chapel in Houston,TX that’s pretty cool too

[@ronaldschild157]

I really enjoyed it when the series "Mad Men" featured a Rothko painting in one of its story lines. One of Sterling-Cooper's (the fictitious advertising agency) more empathic staff members saw the beauty in the painting right away, and explained it to his colleague. Watching that entire series got me more interesting Rothko's work. Prior to this, I was acquainted with the name and could pick out his style, but not to what my awareness is currently - and there is still so much more to learn about his art.

[@kristinelomako]

Rothko was born in nowadays city called Daugavpils, Latvia. He is still very famous, and a contemporary art museum has been opened in his honor, which also includes a small collection of his work. It’s not easy for everyone to understand his works at first, as it takes time (even just letting yourself observe it longer). Through such stories from his life it might be easier to feel his art deeper.

[@ichangedmyself4362]

Yeah, no.

[@mlebrooks]

I don't think his paintings feel bleak. I thought they were meant to be subtle just color fields

[@Renegade_2023]

I knew I loved his work but never knew why ? Thanks for clearing that up for me!

[@TheRustyLM]

Another lovely one, Alain -thank you!🙏

[@joulsw3739]

As a 16 year old I did some art appreciation classes and the tutor took us to see Mark Rothko at Tate. I didn’t get it at all back then. But now, I love them. I don’t know why or how I to appreciate them. I will now revisit and see if this video has made any changes in my perspective. Thank you Alain, I love your videos and it’s wonderful to have your dulcet tones narrating again.

[@emilcioran8873]

I am soooo happy Alain is the narrator of the videos. I am not saying your female colleague is bad. She is fantastic too, but you sir are gifted to speak. Your enthusiasm and talent are on another level.

[@onemorechris]

the Red Room is a peculiar space. the paintings kind of shine and look much darker at different angles. Everytime i’ve been there, there’s someone complaining about them :) it’s actually adds to effect; i notice that often people walk into the room and go quiet a little like entering a church…even the complainers are complaining slightly quieter most of the time

[@bolivar1789]

Happy new year School of Life ! Thank you so much for all the wisdom, enrichment and clarity Alain and all of your brilliant team brought into our lives! Talking about consolation; this channel is one of the most consoling places on the planet! Over the last 8 years, everytime I needed guidance and calm, I knew you had already posted a video about what troubled me. My top 5 of your consoling videos are: 1. When someone we love has died 2. Why you can change the world 3. What is the point of spirituality 4. Hypervigilance 5. The darkest truth about love I would love to ask fellow subscribers: which ones are your top 5 TSOL videos? Thank you for this valuable lesson about Rothko! I especially loved how much he hated the " aggressive good cheer and steely optimism" . It is good to keep this in mind, when we are deeply sad, but also when a beloved friend or a stranger comes to us in need of consolation. I have read this very wise quote by Adam Grant the other day, that we could all keep in mind: " In hard times, people don't want to be told to look on the bright side. They want to know you're on their side. Even if you can't help them feel better, you can always help them feel seen. The best way to support others is not to cheer them up. It's to show up." When we show up and sit with our friends in their pain, if it is the right time, we can also offer them a beautiful piece of art, music, a poem or a video by TSOL!🥰😍

[@hakimdiwan5101]

I haven't compiled list of videos but there are some that I keep watching again and again. 1. 8 rules of school of life 2. Resilience 3. Learning to forgive ourselves 4. Reasons to remember death 5. Why you still have time to change career

[@BarbraLight]

Beautiful 🌟💐

[@bolivar1789]

@@hakimdiwan5101 Hello there! Thanks a lot for sharing your personal "best of" list! I am sure it will help someone who wasn't aware of those videos. I wish you a healthy and peaceful 2023!😊

[@bolivar1789]

@@BarbraLight Thanks a lot for your time Barbra! Happy new year!🙂

[@sgonzalez_guitarra]

I think I've watched all of their animated videos already and I would say this is my top: 1. Why love is never as nice as it should be 2. Calm 3. The importance of an unhappy childhood 4. Why love requires generosity 5. Memorable things about childhood But I must say that I love practically all of their videos and I think it's impossible to grasp the true message of this channel without watching a great amount of them. This channel has really changed my whole life perspective since 2 years ago but more importantly has helped to feel less lonely in this world that acts so indifferent to the enormous amount of suffering involved in every single human life; especially at this stage of my life, since I moved to Germany to study classical guitar, wich has always been my dream, but for that I had to leave friends and family behind plus I'm not very good at making new friends so the last 6 months have not been the happiest of my life to be honest, but TSoL has always been there to comfort me. But I'm glad to see comments from people like you who understand the deep value and wisdom of Alain's words. Anyway, I wish you all the best for this new year and sorry if my English is not very good

[@lynnash4294]

I have always loved the art of Mark Rothco. I could never put a finger on why but this has explained it well!

[@user-zt6uu5tw9j]

While I appreciate and agree with the explanation provided for Rothko's work, with the understanding that 'art is subjective' as seen from a 'Post Pandemic' frame of reference, these paintings speak to me,the viewer, with renewed interest or are perhaps transcendental to the original context in which they were created. A cultural context to a global society can help us understand how the sociological relevance of the painting portrays optimism for the future. As such, it has a Solarpunk frame of reference regarding nature and technology for the future.

[@nannue]

This brings good memories from my childhood. Good job. Love it.

[@theschooloflifetv]

Thank you! We're glad to have summoned positive memories.

[@grumpyschnauzer]

Love Rothko. His paintings inspired my horizon inspired photography from a young age.

[@lanalanskaya1713]

Wonderful! Tthank you for your precious work!🌹

[@minion8]

I had the chance to see a rothko exhibition in vienna a few years back, before that i never got what's so special about it, but in real life thos paintings looks stunning; even more so if you take time and read about them and what he wanted to express with each painting.

[@theshowmanuk]

Love Rothko art and have visited the Tate many times. It gives a space to explore. Wonderful.

[@adriangoleby]

In 2021, during a long lockdown in Melbourne I was commissioned by a band called Growth to make a video for their song "soul rot" due to my city not having restrictions. We used Rothko as the main influence for it! Fantastic inspiration

[@therealdonaldtrumpjr]

Menil and Rothko Chapel in Houston, TX have a lot of his work. They are more impactful in person. Definitely has been diluted by imitators and is the quintessential style of art that makes people jaded towards the contemporary art business.

[@mindfulnesswithmatt]

Great artists can make us feel seen and ignite inner parts of us that we repress. I personally haven't felt this way with Rothko's painting, I feel more in awe viewing them, but interesting take.

[@theschooloflifetv]

Not every artist - or painting - will speak to us directly. But that's all the more reason to explore and study as many artists as we can. Inevitably, there will be someone with the power to speak to the deep, hidden part of us that we have as yet been unable to reach ourselves.

[@Adeodatus100]

There's little point looking at a picture of one of Rothko's colour fields on a screen or a page. You have to go and see the real thing. Sit or stand close to it. Look. Really look. And, slowly or suddenly, it comes to life. You begin to see the detail, the subtlety, the dozens of layers of thin transparent paint that give a depth that simply cannot be reproduced any other way. Each one is a window onto another life, another view of the world, a path you never took. There is nothing like them.

[@juriskrumgolds5810]

Mark Rothko was born in my town, modern day Daugavpils, Latvia.

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you!

[@kristianszalans2985]

His birthplace ''Dvinsk'' (Daugavpils) is a city in Latvia. While at the time of his birth Daugavpils and Latvia was controlled by the Russian Empire, the map in this video is confusing, because it displays Latvia as an entity but shows Rothko was born in Northern Russia. Cool video otherwise!

[@belakovdoj]

Yea, they definitely confused it with Nothern Dvinsk, which is in Northern Russia.

[@digitalsailor1785]

This is how I feel when I am with people that have been in the military. It's as if they'd know how hard life really is, and therefore can understand that you're not feeling all right all the time, and that that's ok. Life is more than just entertainment and pleasure.

[@andyrw]

I love this episode (and the channel) please keep making great content! (Also I believe you use a picture of Tate Modern when the Rothko’s mentioned are in the original Tate gallery in London).

[@elsamessi]

I used to live two blocks from the Tate modern. If I woke up early on a weekend I’d love to take a walk down to there and get in the Rothko room before anyone else was about. Just to have that room to yourself is so special then to step out to be hit by money’s waterlilies is such an experience.

[@nizasiamehenry]

Thank you TSOL

[@project2226]

Allain's voice got this eloquence vibe for me ❤

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

Nicely done, Skool.

[@late_arvie]

0:29 where was he born?! Are you sure?

Bonus points for using post WWII map. No wonder they could not find Dvinsk, as since 1920 it is known as Daugavpils and located in Latvia.🤦

[@NXNX7]

When you have no talent in painting and need an essay explaining what you were trying to portray for people to "get it" - Modern Art in a nutshell.

[@63MGB1]

A friend went to see a Rothko exhibition in California a number of years ago and sent photos of himself and his brothers looking at the paintings. He did this because my wife is an artist and he knows we both appreciate art.. However I just didn't get what the paintings were about from his photos. After seeing this video I now at least understand a bit more, and realize I will probably need to see Rothko's work in person some time to really understand it.

[@bruceschneider4928]

Art that says, "I understand," without judgment.

[@julieshrive3198]

I was there at Tate did not know what to think .... this is great love the video !

[@BarbaraT.]

What an excellent 3 minutes I've just spent!

[@fkktp6009]

I went to the Tate museum in London a year ago and was amazed by the force in the room containing the sea gram murals. When one walks into a church people stop talking because one is aware that one is walking into a sacred room. The same happens when one is surrounded by Rothkos works. I was in there for an hour and every time i left, I came back.I thank him and in some way worship his works.

[@maggieo]

Rothko has been my favorite painter for most of my miserable life.

[@theschooloflifetv]

When you look at one of Rothko's Seagram Murals, what do you see? Let us know in the comments below

[@chinesecabbagefarmer]

sadness

[@skynet4496]

Whatever the viewer feels deep down. Priming works because it appeals to the subconscious. If you're "happy" on the outside but deny sadness, you'll see sadness in the abstract

[@BarbraLight]

I could not have described them as you School of Life, I have though always felt comforted, engaged with and found them sensual and soothing.

[@ThisIsMyFullName]

I have too many thoughts to really reflect on any art that's so monotone, I see much more in something like a Jackson Pollock painting. But there is a certain hopefulness in his color choice, almost comforting as you said.

[@GrumpetteJV]

I just feel calm. I love his paintings, and never knew they came from such dark emotions, but seeing as I fully agree with him, and know my fair share of said darkness and loss, it all makes sense to me. I love painting abstracts, and quite often they morph into soft dreamscapes. (Or dark portraits ). The fact that paint and paintings have their very own language , and can convey so much, will never not fill me with awe and wonder.

[@matthewkopp2391]

I took two different friends to the Art Institute of Chicago. Neither was very knowledgeable about art. I showed them (each at different times) the Rothko Clifford Still Giacometti and asked both “do you feel what they are painting”. The first person informed me she had regular bouts of depression and related to the work. The second said she felt nothing but saw color and shapes, she did not regularly get depressed. Although not scientific it is an anecdote that I think about. An artist communicates but the people who experienced something similar receives what is being communicated.

[@CocoOPNY]

Wow I have loved Rothko's art for many years. I stop and stare whenever I see one. They don't bring up feelings of despair or contemplative depression. I do like some more than others, but I'm a bit sorry I watched this because it makes me sad that Rothko lived on this side of the world and felt so separated from all of it (not that I think his opinion was wrong). I will be interested to see how I feel in future knowing the psychology behind the paintings.

[@georgem5589]

So off went the Emperor in procession under his splendid canopy. Everyone in the streets and the windows said, “Oh, how fine are the Emperor’s new clothes! Don’t they fit him to perfection? And see his long train!” Nobody would confess that he couldn’t see anything, for that would prove him either unfit for his position, or a fool. No costume the Emperor had worn before was ever such a complete success. “But he hasn’t got anything on,” a little child said. (this sums up Rothko's art).

[@fribersson]

He was born in modern day Latvia :) Love his work.

[@willalwaystelehandler8450]

Well said rothko,

[@parkavenue6970]

At around :56, what you call red -do you know where that painting is displayed?

[@laurastortoni-hager1510]

Sorry I do not get it. Think Raphael and Rembrandt.

[@jacobwelliving1058]

I dont get it. Its just flat colour on canvas. Its like looking into a water colour box. How does this invoke anythink?

[@dhruvgoyal1691]

Saw this painting in american drama series Mad Men. Bert cooper had one in his office

[@kryogenic4457]

I'll keep it brief since I see others have mentioned this as well, but you'd be doing yourself a great service by going to see these (and other great works) in person. The photos hardly ever capture the scale of these canvasses. They are quite large. Rothko's work in particular will suck you in like a black hole.

[@rajsingharora26]

LOVE.

[@alanchriston6806]

The Rothko pictures at the Tate are Genius. I was not aware of Rothko pictures before I stumbled into the Rothko room at the top of the Tate. Mesmerising. The power of the pictures is very powerful. 😊🏴‍☠️

[@robcoghan5204]

Like his work ,how did things go for him? Did he gash his enemies real or perceived?

[@EccentricGentelman]

Forgive my ignorance but how do these paintings convay pain, sadness and dispare? To me they just look like rectangular smears of various colours. I would never have known they had any meaning at all if it weren't for this video.

[@MaybejustNarbe]

I like this guy

[@npcalexa2462]

Sounds like a cool guy 😯👍

[@irenalovesart4064]

I was so moved by a rothko yesterday... my phone is listening

[@mili5813]

actually the seagram paintings were hung on the restaurant and rothko went and ate there and noticed that the paintings weren't having the effect he had expected because no one was paying attention. he removed the paintings and gave back the money. years later he sent them to the tate gallery with instruction on how they were to be dispalyed. that same day he was found dead.

[@1258-Eckhart]

That means that London has Rothko's legacy, more than Bilbao. I was in Bilbao (where I wept), but not in London.

[@nkenchington6575]

Life boils down to 2 or 3 things: the beginning, the middle and the end. Or, life, and death. All else is noise. You glow amber, and then you omit no colour. You are vivid, and then you are mute. The sun pulsates and radiates yellow and orange, but we know there’ll come a time when it won’t be like that. There might be a sliver of miraculous happiness sandwiched between the beginning and the end. You shined for the briefest of moments. And then an absence of light took hold, dominated forever. We look at other people’s lives, and they look neat and orderly compared to our own. But upon closer inspection, there are frayed, ragged edges; turmoil, imperfections and inconsistencies. We try to escape our bounds, but nature is consistently indifferent to our desire to be unique. We have contrasting fortunes. We are contrasting hues. What is the meaning of life? We ask God, but he doesn’t answer. He is silent. Silence is so accurate. Everyone’s life is different, yet we are 99% the same, genetically. Colour unifies us. Sometimes we are in the pink, or enjoying a purple patch. Sometimes we see red. Sometimes we are green with envy or sickness. Sometimes we are yellow-bellied. Sometimes the black dog of depression descends upon us. There are moments when we feel blue. Sometimes life is shit (brown). We are ultimately just blocks of colour.

[@tokidokie_cookies]

Going to the Rothko room in Tate and sitting in front of those enormous canvases was my absolute favourite thing to do when I was living in East London. Like someone says in their comment, you just ‘feel’ the power of those paintings.

[@philsophkenny]

❤️

[@InfernalPasquale]

1:24 "... and to that end, Rothko painted some red rectangles."

[@karanick016greece2]

How this man convinced people he's an artist is something that needs to be studied. I deeply admire him for that

[@nicholasfrundt4125]

These paintings are 70 years old, please move on to hating art that is actually recent and challenging at least.

[@letfreedomreignhonk324]

They are hard to understand but I feel that way about people that attempt to climb Mt Everett. Why? I spoke to a climber and he said if I had to ask I would never understand. I'm good with that.

[@charlesthomas9960]

His pieces must be seen in person to experience…

[@antekliyue9874]

LMAO

[@genxcurmudgeon166]

It’s cool if you don’t get it.

[@mrzgvm]

Some artist

[@organiseduser7216]

The only proper artist I experienced here didn't paint anything - he observed, interpreted, analysed He found meaning and profoundness in the mundane, the dillentatic. With words he transformed the work of an imposter into true mastery His name is Alain de Botton

[@theschooloflifetv]

😊

[@echochamber.]

Yeah I still don’t see it

[@owen823]

I had seen Rothko's art online many times and always felt that it was somewhat intriguing but nothing special, just insulting simplicity that was bought and sold as a way for people to launder money or feel important. However, I saw a few of his pieces at the MET last weekend and I've changed my mind. Out of everything in the museum, Rothko (and Francis Bacon) had the biggest impact on me. I felt his intention in a way that I really was not expecting. The simplicity became not insulting but actually touching. Technically speaking, the colors he used were unique in that I can't say that i've seen such a tone in real life before that moment. It's way different than seeing it on the screen of my laptop. There are severl Pollock's on the same floor and to me Rothko's "intention" is infinitely more amusing. I had scoffed at people online saying that you have to see a Rothko in person to fully appreciate it. It seems so pretentious but idk. I was undeniably moved by his works when I stood front and center and acknowledged the art. It's real!

[@matthewgower]

I love me a nice dark grey

[@m.f.richardson1602]

Interesting

[@abooswalehmosafeer173]

I so hate the beginning music...but I love the information

[@wexwuthor1776]

I fear the emperor has forgotten his pants, but I'm not telling.

[@bethbartlett5692]

1958, my year of arrival.

[@TakeASecondThereCowboyAndRelax]

Rothko went hard

[@theschooloflifetv]

That he did!

[@sandrastole5426]

He was born in Latvia!

[@DustSeeker163]

Ya''ll are wilding out with Nick Canon with this one.

[@greghuffman3061]

I def feel like im suffering it when people call it art

[@gaston.]

He is reincarnated as the chef in The Menu.

[@user-mh7ld8ki4y]

It's Mr Rothko

[@paulrudd1063]

I think you summed up my problem with Rothko by making sweeping statements along the lines of “his paintings speak of the pain of being human”. The trouble with elite modernism is that there is the assumption that there exist universal truths that the inspired genius can ‘peel’ open and illuminate. But I think that every human is different. To suggest there is a universal message in a modernist artwork is to deny the individual response of the person reading the painting. It’s hopelessly reductive and speaks more about the patriarchal consolidation of power into an elite clique than anything else. I’m not denying the monolithic power of his work. But I’m highly sceptical that Rothco, like all American elite modernists, had much of any relevance to say to the majority of people alive today.

[@EddieGarton]

Interesting video, but no one can convince me that Rothko's work isn't just a bunch of canvases of squares in different colors.

[@BorisBidjanSaberi11]

Rothko is amazing. Fuck the haters

[@nightman8612]

Well, genius is a generous word. Probably the most inflated one of the American abstract guys. In spite of being conceptually different (Rothko uses lazy brushed windows of colour), Malevich did it much better 40 years earlier...

[@alisaalisa2060]

I don't find his paintings therapeutic nor beautiful to look at, is just like a 2 years old kid was playing with colors... but that is just my opinion

[@onemorechris]

they look different in real life. also really big. it would have to be a 2 year old with an adult and a ladder at the very least

[@fribersson]

If you can find anyone else capable of replicating his work, I’ll happily buy it. Much, much harder to do than we imagine :) And often an acquired taste. What helped me was feeling each colour, and feeling how they blend and play off each other.

[@jekjek2639]

One of the first 20 eyy

[@theschooloflifetv]

An exclusive club!

[@noras.9774]

In psichology the colours are important: purple, braun, black, are anxiogene colours. But for me, only association of colors, representes nothing, maybe in relation with his personal life ( I’m not expert!)

[@slksol]

He sounds lovely

[@theschooloflifetv]

Rothko was often a difficult man to deal with (as our film makes clear). But his refusal to compromise his ideals and vision are part of what makes him such an important and timeless artist.

[@upendasana7857]

Is it an artists job to be "lovely",very rarely have lovely people been great artists or changed the world very much. "Lovely" people are often untouched in some way by the world or do not feel that sense of pain or angusih at certain injustices or falseness that parts of the world offer. Rothko managed to express his emotions and feelings thorugh art and he did end up killing himself in the end.I guess some people are way more senstive to the world and its wiles and corruptions than others

[@onemorechris]

If he ever went to a fancy restaurant in New York, you probably wouldn’t want to go with him :)

[@yinyang6169]

Why do i feel like he is the robinhood of yhe century

[@sltillim]

Colorfield is the best

[@PN.mod20]

Very annoying that the sound CUTS the word INDEED in half right at the end.

[@thomasraymer1085]

A Pink square doesn’t look so sad to me

[@fgomez209]

I can only see paint. I mean paint like in a fence painted by a child.

[@diezpiedrasnegras1703]

But... they are just big blotches of different colors... Granted, in nice combinations but isn't it a bit of a stretch to say it expresses ALL THAT? How? By what means?

[@EnglishFuture-xg1gw]

Hold up. Sentence 1 is wrong. Rothko, by his own admission, was not an abstract painter.

[@rickrose5377]

Well, what a lot of self-congratulation and expressions of gratitude for the channel, but the video never describes HOW the paintings accomplish that feat. What is their method, and HOW do they console in the way described? Regurgitating stale opinions about the meaning of Rothko's work is easy enough, but it's no more than Reader's Digest aims to do. What is it about these particular abstractions that makes fat cats bilious and uncomfortable, while making sensitive souls feel whole and refreshed?

[@robnewton3368]

Maybe go see the paintings and judge for yourself. Don’t rely on secondary opinion.

[@rickrose5377]

@@robnewton3368 Oh, I've seen them, Rob, and other color field paintings, too. At least those as are easily accessible. And in reproduction, too, of course. The Seagram murals are at the Tate Modern, so I haven't see those. I was an Art History major at Yale. That's not my point. These School of Life vids so OFTEN sound like they're second-hand opinion. That's why I was asking something more of them. Don't repeat what someone else has opined, without explaining HOW the paintings achieve the effect you say they do.

[@robnewton3368]

@@rickrose5377 ; well if they don’t do it for you that’s ok. Explaining why and how works of art move some and not others is a perpetual subjective debate with probably no answer. Having a whole carefully lit , proportioned room solely devoted to one artists body of work with a single theme certainly intensifies the impact, as it’s meant to do. If you’re ever in London Tate Britain is where you’ll find them.

[@rickrose5377]

@@robnewton3368 You don't get my point, Rob. I LOVE Rothko. My problem is with School of Life. Everyone is praising them, but they're little more than Reader's Digest.

[@triton7758]

He was born in modern day Latvia, in the city of Daugavpils, so please respect that and it's not an abnormally abstract shithole in the far north of Russia - how you interpreted it on the map.