Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals: Great Art Explained

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"What a brilliant series this is" - Stephen Fry on Twitter 12 December 2020
"Thoroughly researched and cleverly presented, with stunning visuals, Great Art Explained makes you realise that familiarity with a work of art sometimes makes us indifferent to its power" - Forbes Magazine, 9 July 2020
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I started "Great Art Explained" during lockdown. My aim is to make videos which focus on one great artwork. I want to present art in a jargon free, entertaining, clear and concise way with no gimmicks.
Subscribe and click the bell icon to get more arts content. Each video takes me about three weeks to a month, so I download at least once a month:
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On the 25th February 1970, the Tate gallery in London received nine Mark Rothko canvasses, a generous donation from the artist himself.
A few hours later, Rothko was found dead in his studio on East 69th Street in Manhattan. The 66-year-old painter had taken his own life.
His suicide would change everything and shape the way we respond to his work.
Rothko was aware that people often burst into tears when confronted with his painting. “I’m interested only in expressing basic human emotions, tragedy, ecstasy, doom and so on” he said.
CREDITS
All the videos, songs, images, and graphics used in the video belong to their respective owners and I or this channel does not claim any right over them.
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
Chinese subtitles by Charles Xiu
萨尔瓦多·达利的《记忆的永恒》：杰作解析
MUSIC & VIDEO Copyright Free Under licence Creative Commons
Mozart's Requiem (Lacrimosa)
Intro music: JS Bach “Sonata for violin solo No.1 in G Minor”
BOOKS
Writings on Art - Mark Rothko
Mark Rothko: From the Inside out - Christopher Rothko
Rothko - Jacob Baal-Teshuva
Simon Schama - The Power of Art
Mark Rothko images © Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko/DACS 2020

[@GreatArtExplained]

Great Art Explained totally unique merchandise available here - crowdmade.com/collections/greatartexplained

[@dinetk3125]

Lake Keitele would be interesting!

[@doquocvietvietnam]

The content of this channel is of the top quality for bringing art to the public. Thank you very much.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thank you so much for watching! And commenting 🙏

[@flowstate6769]

Agreed. Should have way more subs. I’m glad I found it though!

[@lt7378]

I, too, am amazed with the quality and content of these videos. Besides the art highlighted in these youtubes, the historical/biographical context is examined extensively. The narration, images and musical choices for each of these are perfect. Much time and research must go into each of these. Thank you for these gems.

[@whitesock08]

@@GreatArtExplained no, thank *you* for making this! best regards and stay safe

[@TheGlass50]

There is no better channel on KZbin. I’ve learned so much. Thank you G A E

[@fmyllxm]

My mouth literally fell open during the part about how the pool of his own blood closely resembled one of his works. I don’t usually feel a lot of emotion towards abstract art but that piece of information changed everything…

[@itsgonnabeanaurfromme]

It's the "story". A nice story. Mostly continued by people selling his work.

[@yubia5216]

I believe that artists such as Rothko are necessary for expressing the whole vastness of what art is capable. We sometimes only seek for technicality and virtuosity, flashy and epic depictions of memorable moments in history, but we shouldn't forget of the duality implicit in life itself. If there is intricacy there should also be simplicity, both can posses the quality of depth.

[@stevenhanson6057]

That’s deep. “You’re so deep, you want to marry a mermaid.” Dylan

[@victoriabarclay3556]

I never “got” Rothko either, though I can understand the difficulty and effort in his work. My first experience with his work was the Rothko chapel in Houston, and I left feeling depressed. Not at all the emotion I expected ( and not common to me). Years later I learned he had committed suicide, and that was an “aha” explanation of what I had felt.

[@onemorechris]

i think this is somewhat intended. The Chapel is very void like. I’m quite comfortable with that emptiness and i do find it fascinating that that depressing feeling seems to happen in the red room at the Tate too. People done like it and get kind of angry in that room in London. the people experiencing it are as interesting as the work itsef

[@MindGem]

No You were right the first time. He is bullshit. There's no "aha" moment just because he commited suicide and the "pool of blood is the same size of his painting and therefor he is a true artist". no he is a talentless piece of shit. There are tons of abstract expressionists out there if you're interested that are all talented up to the brink, but this guy never was.

[@explosives101]

Rothko's "art" is Post-modernism.

[@kidflersh7807]

@@explosives101 it literally isn't, it's modernism

[@legone.6677]

How do you fall for this. No matter what they tell you, my friend, those paintings are just a bunch of red colour. The fact that the guy who painted them was a melancholic nihilist psycho and suicidal doesent make a bunch of colour ART.

[@josephdupre2045]

This channel is criminally underrated. How on earth do you not have more subscribers? Amazing work!

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks Joseph, I really appreciate the comment! The channel is building up slowly and I can only do one film a month so I’m ok with it. More viewers the better of course, but it is growing! Thanks for watching and share the link as much as poss!

[@josephdupre2045]

@@GreatArtExplained If it says anything, I like to show your videos to my English classes to get the point across that every single detail concerning art matters; whether it's music, painting, writing, etc etc.

[@muhammadfathy6529]

@@josephdupre2045 انا

[@muhammadfathy6529]

@@josephdupre2045 ص مش عارف والله يا بنتي أنا ي ي

[@dazuk1969]

They have one more now....peace to ya.

[@Palmieres]

There are plenty of abstract artists that I get even though I can't say I like. Rothko I neither get nor like. I was hoping videos like these would help me better understand and find some meaning behind the absolute lack of emotion this triggers in me. I can't say I leave feeling any different. After 30 years seeking a better understanding of art, ever since I started taking it in school as a teen, Rothko still eludes me. Edit: still upvoting nonetheless, because the videos are really good.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Well thanks for at least trying, that’s all we can do. Art is just amazing how it evokes so many different feelings in each of us. I get very moved by Rothko but other people don’t. My only suggestion is that if you get the chance, try visiting one of his rooms, like this one. And spend some time there. Thanks so much for watching - and for the great comment 🙏

[@farhadbrain]

@Redheaded Stranger I agree wholeheartedly. Art has a definition. Yes, it has to invoke some emotion. But at the same time, it has to be unique, or at least difficult to replicate. That's what makes an artist. The boundaries of art cannot be stretched to such abstract limits that strips the work of any quality worth measuring against some standard. If you cannot tell apart the difference between random splashes of paint on a toddler's apron and the work of Rothko or Pollock, then they are not different.

[@Handlename735]

Maybe, the paintings are not the complete piece. His death, completes them, and that's what he wanted? I personally felt something after the explanation. Maybe because I had that thought in my head.

[@grizzlyhobo1182]

I think it could help if like in the video you try reading some existential philosophy - if you haven't tried yet.

[@SuncoastEco]

I was exposed to Rothko's art briefly in college, and while I didn't have your absolute lack of emotion in response to his works, I also didn't feel any connection to it. I never learned about him, his views, or his history. This 15 minute art history lesson has triggered an intense dislike for him, which oddly still doesn't impact the way I see his works - despite what this video says.

[@VITORB82]

I would pay for 45-60 minutes (even) more in depth content like this. Fan-tas-tic.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks Vitor 🙏

[@juergensl1]

So just do it

[@susanhepburn6040]

Many years ago, I stood in front of a Rothko painting in London, not knowing who had painted it or anything about his life. I was transfixed and almost horrified. It seemed to me to almost emanate the most terrible sense of total and utter despair. To say I felt deeply unsettled is something of an understatement. It really quite shook me. Thank you for casting a lot more light on both the man and his art.

[@hmq9052]

It's just a single colour

[@jeffjacobson59]

But it causes visceral emotional responses and that is art.

[@timmancillas8326]

Thanks for pointing that out. I’m sure Susan is going to renounce her experience thanks to your insightful commentary.

[@itsgonnabeanaurfromme]

​@@jeffjacobson59shitting on a baby causes a visceral emotional response. Is this art, as well?

[@idiot178]

yes

[@janaatam]

I live in Latvia, which houses the city of Dvinsk (now named Daugavpils), Rothko’s birth place. I went to his museum there two years ago. The paintings, man, they fucking breathe. When you stand there and look at it, so close, it’s like a living, breathing organism. An absolutely breathaking experience, I wish everyone can experience in their life. Great video!!

[@GreatArtExplained]

I would love to go there - thanks 🙏

[@mohamedfadelmaelainin8811]

Is it just me or is the choice of putting Mozart's Requiem in the background absolutely spot on!!

[@augmentedkeys5971]

No, its 15 others. Mozart is overrated. Music dramatically declined in 1750 when J.S. Bach died and it took about 100 years till music started to become interesting again.

[@mohamedfadelmaelainin8811]

@@augmentedkeys5971 Thank you for your comment. I would love to discover new pieces, so had you been able to change this video's music, what would you have chosen? (Your favorite top 5) thanks!

[@secretshaman189]

His depression consumed him in the end, and his artwork chronicles this process. I can feel his depression from viewing his art and was never attracted to it for that reason, but he shows the power of color over our emotional nature.

[@Hector_Malot]

He would have done better to kill himself than try to paint this shit.

[@Netsuke333]

Good point, Yum Yum. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@JohnWilliamsonDesign]

In 1983 I was a 19 year-old art student. In one of my frequent visits to the Tate Gallery I walked into the Rothko room by myself "armed" only with a Sony Walkman. As I entered the room I was listening to Joy Division's first album "Unknown Pleasures". The experience moved me deeply and was as profound as Rothko had intended it to be. After watching this video, where the connection of Rothko's art and music is explained, I now understand how and why those 15 minutes back in 1983 which have stayed with me ever since and will always be there. If you get the chance, do the same as I. Don't walk into the room in silence... choose your soundtrack well and prepare to be moved.

[@jamespettypool2983]

As an art student decades ago, I'd seen plenty of photos of Rothko's work. I didn't get what all the hoopla was about... until I stood in front of one of his pieces at the Menil Museum. It was the only time in my life I wept in the presence of a work of art.

[@hmq9052]

Why? It's just a red colour with a bit of black

[@pendlera2959]

@@hmq9052 They said they didn't get it until they experienced it in person, so obviously it affects people in person differently than in pictures. It's like seeing a whale in person, or the first time you hold your own child, or the first time you perform on stage - some things just don't have their full impact until you actually experience them. Besides, the sky is just a big sheet of blue, yet people find it beautiful and emotional. A field covered in fresh snow is beautiful, even though it's just white with some scattered shadows. The night sky is just a bunch of lights on a black background. I've never seen a Rothko in person, but I imagine it inspires similar feelings as those large expanses of simple views.

[@hmq9052]

@@pendlera2959 Right. But those things are real. The sky. A child. A whale. A field of snow. You're not blown away by a representation of it. You're blown away by it. Unless these people are particularly drawn to the colours red and black in the normal course of their lives, I fail to see why they would suddenly find such profundity or beauty in them when hung on a wall.

[@pendlera2959]

@@hmq9052 Paintings are real, though. Look at a rose. Is it beautiful because it looks like something other than a rose? No, it's beautiful in and of itself. One of the goals of (some) nonrepresentational art is to make a thing that is beautiful or interesting or emotionally impactful in and of itself, not due to copying from nature. It's like a flavor or a scent - it doesn't need to resemble anything else in order to have its own beauty. Or like an abstract pattern on fabric that doesn't look like anything, but still looks cool. Haven't you ever seen an otherwise ordinary object like a pair of shoes or a car and thought that one version looked a lot cooler than another? Was it because it resembled something from nature? Is a pair of realistic bunny slippers really inherently more beautiful than handcrafted leather dress shoes? A lot of people think certain cars are beautiful, but what natural thing does a car resemble? Well-designed cars are basically useful abstract sculptures, but why can't that same idea apply to a 2D object like a painting?

[@hmq9052]

@@pendlera2959 A painting is one thing. A rose is objectively attractive. But this is just the colour red and black on a wall.

[@yellolab09]

I've been immersed in the field of arts education since1975. Mr Payne, you are an extraordinary educator.

[@GreatArtExplained]

That is a lovely comment - thank you 🙏

[@tzw001]

You said: 'In an increasingly secular age, Rothko's room has taken on the aura of a "temple" or "shrine."' (14:31). While not having missed once the opportunity to see the Seagram Murals at Tate Modern whenever I am in London, I do yet struggle to express my exact feelings being in their presence. To me, they whisper words of doubt whether there isn't something beyond our tangible existence after all, and invite you to experience it then and there... Thank you for sharing this wonderful documentation, do keep up your excellent work!

[@GreatArtExplained]

Great comment - I appreciate it!

[@alexandrayakovleva1438]

Interesting thing about your channel and videos is that I have the urge to rewatch them. It is not one time and done. Some I rewatched a few times and don’t feel tired but rather fulfilled. Thank you!

[@katerina1983]

I won't pretend that I understand his works, but I caught myself feeling that I would rather not be in a state of mInd which allowed me really understand them.

[@Diana-rt2vm]

Wonderfully said

[@howtubeable]

Yes. An artist that is not emotionally grounded. Addicted to various drugs. A man being paid to tell everyone that life is hopeless.

[@Lunch_Meat]

That will change when you actually experience something heavy in your life

[@wildflowers5555]

...like emptiness...no ability to create..( = not for me, but if somehow like the story 'The Emperor's new clothes', some must TRY to SEE and FEEL the AWE!?)

[@ratking_]

golly

[@drengskap]

I have visited and spent time contemplating the Seagram murals many times over 40 years, both in the original Tate Gallery (now Tate Britain) and in Tate Modern, and it's always a richly rewarding experience. We are indeed fortunate to have these paintings in the UK - there are no other Rothkos to compare to them here. I hope it's possible to see them again soon. The narrator is quite right - you really can't comprehend a Rothko painting from seeing it on a screen or in a book. You have to encounter and confront its physical presence to appreciate the subtlety and depth of the work.

[@elkiness]

Born in Washington, DC, I remember going to the museums from early childhood. My favorite was the Phillip's. There there was a small room with one large Rothko, mostly fiery red. As part of an advanced course at the American University, we were assigned to write two full pages using no references. I sat for hours in the Rothko room; an amazing experience. People coming in and out (although I was mostly alone) shared their reactions, which sharpened and expanded my perception, and helped me find the words to express my feeling. You are so right that one needs to see the originals. As an artist and art educator, I so appreciate your video, my second in this excellent series. I'm looking forward to seeing more. I love your open, stimulating and informative explanations. More than explanations--you are opening doors and widening horizons. Thank you!

[@silasfrisenette9226]

Two full pages without references? How does that work? 🤔 An independent analysis?

[@elkiness]

@@silasfrisenette9226 I think the idea was to try to see freshly, for oneself, instead of filtering through others' eyes and minds. By writing that much while actually looking at one original, you find yourself digging from within as you see more and more.

[@morriganwitch]

I ve always loved Rothko and now I understand why xxx

[@catrin1313]

Art, social history, wonderful research, clips and films make this such an easy watch. Yet Rothko really isn't an easy artist to 'get' at all. This film holds the key. Gold.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks so much for the comment! I really appreciate you watching. Trying to make Rothko accessible is not easy but these are my favourite works of art.

[@julzmgrforll7278]

@@GreatArtExplained huge thank you for this one in particular. I am not a fan but before your video i simply dismissed art that i did not enjoy. I still don't "enjoy"the work but i absolutely appreciate it now. I do love your passion for art and love that you have done the hard work and break it all down for me to understand. I am better for it.

[@probablyahorse1389]

@@hallmark1 Rorschach

[@gen1exe]

I agree 100%

[@lelafritzer2955]

@@hallmark1 I do think that there's something to get about him. This video thumbnail was the first work by him I've ever seen, and yet I fell in love with his paintings within the first minute of this video. There really wasn't enough time to become a pretentious fan. They just somehow spoke to me a lot more than any other artwork I've seen to this day.

[@tombeast17]

I knew nothing about Rothko before watching this, now i want to know everything about him, and will definitely be visiting the Tate with fresh eyes. Thank you for the great content.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks Thomas. Glad I could enhance your appreciation of one of my heroes. Appreciate the comment!

[@patrickmcphee770]

There is nothing to know. He is not an artist, he is a talentless tool. You bought into it huh? Go pretend to find deeper meaning in this trash!

[@thechesssavage6400]

Why? Theres nothing to find out.

[@SlashCampable]

@@thechesssavage6400 sO eDgY dUde

[@33333cherokee]

As a youngster I would go to the Tate to sit in the Rothko room where the Seagram murals used to hang. I would stay for hours profoundly moved by the impact of such momentous pieces of art not really knowing why they resonated so. One of my all time favourite artists thank you

[@stevelenores5637]

They don't resonant. They are messing with your mind by suggesting they do. The same reason Venus is often mistaken for a flying saucer. If you believe UFOs are real you are more likely to interpret atmospheric phenonium as extraterrestrial. Stare at stucco on a house long enough and you will see images also.

[@badbunnyky]

this is the thing: people who dont connect with his art love to go on and on about how he's suck a hack and a failure... and yet all kinds of people, both from and outside of the art world, find insane emotional resonance with his work... obviously not for everyone but its clear he's achieved something of value

[@louism9872]

Can you please make a podcast!!!! I swear I will listen!! These inspire me!!

[@GreatArtExplained]

I have a plan to - with a good artist friend - but have to wait till we can get together after lockdown - thanks for watching 🙏

[@Bazzo61]

@@GreatArtExplained Do so hope so. That is one podcast I would definitely subscibe to.

[@misnomer_all_day8635]

Please do! You have a special talent!

[@stevenponte6655]

@@Bazzo61 same

[@serotoninsyndrome]

My favorite artist. I can't put it into words, but I feel I am totally in tune with what he was trying to get at, whatever that was. I know people either love him or hate him, but for me, personally, it feels like we are on the same wavelength. It speaks to me on a personal, even spiritual, level. I remember being a kid at the Albright Knox art gallery in Buffalo and seeing his huge orange/yellow/red painting and thinking "this is exactly what's inside me that I could never put into words". It was like seeing a visual representation of a meditation or a mood or a dream that didn't fit a description. His stuff is so superficially simple, but it's a facade for something very deep and universal that we all experience as humans.

[@brianj4090]

The rothko chapel is one of favorite places in the world. I do enjoy abstract art and imagine I don’t really understand any of it but rothkos art seems abstract yet incredibly accessible to me. Dark and soothing and satisfying.

[@leannearker]

I didn’t “get” Rothko until I turned a corner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and felt a gut punch on seeing the glowing painting at the far end of the gallery. It shimmered. They had placed it so that you came into the room at a distance from the painting. When you turned left there it was, maybe 50-60 metres away. As I said, it just glowed and I walked towards it and didn’t look at any other paintings that I passed on the way to stand in front of it. I’ve had physical reactions to only two painters, Rothko and Alfred Sisley. 😂 Sisley settles my chi and makes me feel relaxed. Such different painters but what an impact.

[@buddhababy2005]

A fascinating video...I'm not sure I 'get' Rothko's work though I have a couple of prints of it at home. However, I really loved his answer as to why he liked Mozart so much 'because Mozart is always smiling through tears'....absolutely beautiful way of describing great music such as Mozart's!

[@slorgdulschmodus]

not getting it is getting it - Rothko's art is about isolation and seperateness. It's about godlessness and oblivion. His lack of spirituality and demise reflects it - the emptiness and lack of creative thought and complexity reflects the soul of the artist. Pure shite.

[@benwarped7272]

its called "narcissism" .. nothing to get. his art was his own death and paintings. and now somehow makes someone money❓ its toxic.

[@paulmichael2418]

I don’t understand it easy. I can literally do that. Mix some colors and put some rectangles in there…I don’t get it. I actually watched this to get a better understanding.

[@jenniferhill9924]

Agreed. I'm from Houston and will be eternally in wonder of the masses who gi to the Chapel in Montrose a d pretend to marvel at it. Clearly these folks have never been to the Louvre- they've never actually had the privilege of witnessing true masterpieces so they are easily impressed.

[@jeraldbaxter3532]

@@paulmichael2418 All to often, when it comes to some modern art, the phrase "But the emperor isn't wearing any clothes!" comes to mind. It may be aesthetically pleasing, but it is a mistake to attempt to read anything of great profundity in it; I have come to believe that much, though not all, art produced since Jackson Pollack first spilled paint is, as the English say, "All gong but no dinner." The 1980's, when art became a commodity just made it worse.

[@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.

[@verynotreally]

Rothko is polarizing. I, for one, feel something almost primal when I view his works, just these deep emotions I can't put into words. I know not everyone feels that. I understand he's not everyone's cup of tea, but I do wish those who don't like his work wouldn't dismiss it as "simplistic" or "lazy" or reduce it to, "my kid could do that." Whatever you feel about his work, he put enormous effort into it, much consideration, much thought. It's OK not to like his work, but please don't write it off as lazy or easy.

[@GreatArtExplained]

My thoughts on this are in my Rodin video: “it’s what’s in your head not your hands that makes a great artist”. I absolutely love Rothko - as much as I love Caravaggio or Michelangelo. They are not mutually exclusive. To me, it is powerful and emotional work. It transcends art. You can watch this video, or longer videos and you can read every book about him, but Rothko said it best when he said: "Silence is so accurate."

[@thitherword]

@@GreatArtExplained “It’s what’s in your head not your hands that makes a great artist”. Flagrantly false and dangerous idea. This is what aesthetic relativism gets you. This is what the, "Every idea is a good and idea and everything is just as valid as everything else" worldview results in. Art is a visual medium. I don't care what's in someone's head. I don't care about some pretentious hack putting a glass of water on a white shelf and attaching an poem next to it explaining that the glass of water is an oak tree. The idea that a canvas of coloured squares is better or just as valid as Rembrandt, Shiskin, Beksinski, Landseer or any other brilliant artist is absurd. Look, I love modern or experimental styles of art. I have no problem with the early impressionists, for example. But the art needs to have some semblance of skill and talent. I don't mind abstract and decadent, but the art needs to give the impression of wanting to impress, to appear special. I'm not one of these people who thinks that the only good art is Western Christian art from the 1500s... But come on, you know Rothko and Pollock are degenerate hacks who capitalised on pretentious wankery in order to get away with having no talent.

[@nepaltara]

@@thitherword thank you for your impassioned comment. I feel the same way.

[@thitherword]

@@LithMorganica Am I saying that something is better because it took more dedication, skill, complexity, thought, artistic integrity, will to impress and speaks to the human spirit? Why, yes, I am. Okay. Let's try something. Please explain to me why a child's drawing is better and more valid than Michelangelo's David. Go on, because according to your logic both are as good as each other. There is such a thing as exclusivity.

[@thitherword]

@@LithMorganica You've never seen a child that could paint like Rothko. That's probably because even a child has greater capability. At least they're drawing figures and utilising their imagination.... They're not engaged in a pretentious endeavour. They just draw. That's much better than painting a red square, having fools applaud you, then getting paid millions for it. Please, just stop enabling and legitimising this trash.

[@niharika7403]

I just binged your entire series. Rarely do I come across channels put together so beautifully. Eagerly awaiting for more art dissections! :)

[@kimeister2766]

I never appreciated his paintings until i saw them in person. You cant see the deep and beautiful colors on a screen. They’re gorgeous

[@autodidact537]

The real problem with Rothko & what plagues so much of modern art is explained in a quote by author Anthony Burgess, he said: "There is no substitute for craft...Art begins with craft, and there is no art until craft has been mastered".

[@richardomier5501]

same.

[@tagorewithlyric4394]

@@autodidact537 the thing is rothko works have a lot of craft... But you can only see it once you see the real thing

[@ozarkecologies]

@@autodidact537 dude you've copied this comment several times on this comment section. Do people enjoying abstract art personally offend you?

[@itsgonnabeanaurfromme]

​@@tagorewithlyric4394nope. This is not skillful craft.

[@kulsoomfatima1279]

I came across Rothko and his work quite recently, and ever since then I am obsessively reading anything and everything related to it. I was quite apprehensive before clicking on the video thinking it would talk about the same old stuff. But man here I must confess that your video is so well researched and so beautifully put together. It was totally worth my time and I would have missed the nuances which you've discussed herein had I not clicked on it. Btw, I still can't wrap my head around the fact as to why this has got so few likes. More and more people should watch it. Anyways ,great work mate.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks so much for the comment - I pride myself on my research! And I love Rothko too. The channel is growing steadily - and I’m getting some great feedback such as yours. I appreciate it!

[@bentulip4547]

i never thought i would get into liking art but this series has made it so accesible to even the most common of man as me. you understand the art and know how to explain it. great chanel.

[@standupstraight9691]

You need someone to explain it so you can appreciate it? something wrong there. Rely on your own impression, that is the correct one.

[@MrDrdilso]

This video's ending gave me chills. I would love The opportunity to be in that marvelous room.

[@amasterofone]

I did a presentation on a Rothko piece in a college philosophy class in my late teens. I found great meaning in the work. I suspect most of my classmates rolled their eyes through it but I hope I opened some eyes to looking at abstract art.

[@aramondehasashi3324]

Even though I hate this type of art your videos are well put together and you do a great job as a presenter.

[@franciscobello1519]

For those interested, there are some topical and narrative overlaps between this series' 15 minute approach and the more long form "Power of Art" series by BBC and Simon Schama.

[@susanschaffner4422]

Knowing the history of the artist gives the work so much more meaning. I'm grateful I discovered this channel.

[@braydonbyrd3953]

I am so glad I found this video, ironic too-One of my favorite paintings is Rothko’s “No.210/No.211 (Orange)”. I’ve always loved it, and when I heard it was being put in my local art museum (Crystal Bridges, Bentonville, AR), I was so excited to go see it. It was the last painting I saw, leave the best for last, and intuitively, I took a photo of it. Just like how Rothko died right after he donated some of his art, I was hospitalized and med-flighted to the closest Children’s Hospital, hours after I saw the painting. Why? Ketoacidosis, or acidic blood (almost died from it). To this day, I still consider him one of my favorite modern-day artists, and I still find the coincidence ironic.

[@mycatiswaysmarterthanmosto8500]

This type of art does absolutely nothing for me. But the video is gold!❣ As always.

[@mycatiswaysmarterthanmosto8500]

@Trevor Chase I would have been more inclined to agreed with you, but alas, I have seen it and many other works of modern art similar to it, and yet still, nothing.🤷‍♀️ I suppose that is why Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder. Just not my thing. But I'm glad it brings joy to others.

[@matthewwilliams8224]

and without this art, you wouldn't have this golden video! :)

[@KPT437]

Recently went to art institute in Chicago and saw a few Rothko there and I couldn’t understand why are they so famous. Seeing your video and especially the part that said “seeing art where it was intended to be instead of a museum” makes so much sense! Thank you for the video. I have a lot more appreciation for Rothko’s work now.

[@standupstraight9691]

So, you dont rely on your own impression, so you convince yourself of its merits because you think someone else knows better? Thats a bit sychophantic.

[@KPT437]

@@standupstraight9691 yes it is because I am not an expert on it. Having context increases appreciation. I went to art institute not to look just at Rothko. So I didn’t know anything about it except that he’s famous. I was there as a general visitor who was intrigued and therefore seeing a video on it to understand and better my knowledge.

[@timmancillas8326]

Maybe learning more about a subject increases your appreciation of it? Does your perception of something ever change after the first impression.

[@thisisgunkel]

I never really understood this type of painting until this video. Thank you

[@joseybryant7577]

When I look at the Seagram Murals, I feel such an intense emotion stirring in me. It is indescribable. I am unsure if I could handle seeing them in person. All I can say is, that for me, Rothko achieved his dream.

[@mituscustoms7796]

*scratches head

[@MaxMiller614]

I agree. I don’t think I would want to. They feel off to me. The energy is frightening

[@Lmaoh5150]

Whenever I see his work, especially the late stuff I imagine they are are depictions of emotion as understood by thought or conscience. The darker ones remind me of anxiety attack induced nightmares.

[@joseybryant7577]

I get the exact same feelings, when viewing his work. They feel very intense to me, and almost make me feel what Rothko must have felt when he was painting them.

[@LeanScaleup]

Deeply impressed by the amount of research that goes into every video. Outstanding.

[@LYDIAisTHEname]

The way the story of the artist and the art is intertwined on this channel is unbelievable. I end every video feeling like I’ve learned so much, and been taken on an emotional journey with the artist. The work you’re doing is amazing!

[@morganjames5180]

In my 20s , I was lucky to enter one these rooms full of his carefully laid out art work. After sitting alone for 10 minutes or so , I became very overwhelmed by sadness . I loved the size, colours and shapes , but somehow I felt he communicated his torments. I literally felt an overwhelming sadness and depression... A sense of darkness ... I left the room, feeling gobsmacked and baffled... At home I researched who he was ... ...his art work and how he died. This shocked me , I was right.... I certainly felt that his paintings were so powerful.... ...and swamped with a depressive dark state of mind. His art work "spoke to me " .... I didnt need to know who he was and what his work was about. I didnt even read the little descriptions that sit besides the paintings... I had never experienced that again with any other artist . It's best not to know the artist , just let the art work speak for itself. It certainly worked for me .

[@colinbradbury2334]

Excellent video and a wonderful channel. For me, the fact that people have strong but often diametrically opposed views on Rothko pretty much answers the question about whether his paintings are ‘great art’ (whatever that actually means). I’ve loved his work since I first saw it and his paintings move me in a way that almost no other art does. They leave others cold, and that’s fine. Art is about emotion as much as technique, and on that basis Rothko, for me, is one of of the greats.

[@autodidact537]

The real problem with Rothko & what plagues so much of modern art is explained in a quote by author Anthony Burgess, he said: "There is no substitute for craft...Art begins with craft, and there is no art until craft has been mastered".

[@colinbradbury2334]

@@autodidact537There are two issues here. First, Burgess’ opinion about what makes ‘art’ (the presence of ‘craft’) is just that - an opinion. Secondly, even if you accept the necessity of craft, that in itself is open to debate. One person’s definition of craft in painting might be the technical ability to render the world as we see it with our eyes. For another, craft’ is the ability to put on canvas what the artist feels in their soul. By that definition, Rothko was a craftsman. In my opinion, of course (!)

[@autodidact537]

@@colinbradbury2334 Craft? You must be joking. Rothko used a brush that is normally used to paint a house. lol

[@colinbradbury2334]

@@autodidact537 I think you may just have spectacularly missed my point... You - and Burgess - might say that something can only be accepted as 'art' if it demonstrates the technical ability to render the world as we see it with our eyes. You are entitled to that opinion, but you must also accept that not everyone agrees with it. Are you really saying that all art that is not absolutely representational or doesn't meet your standard for an acceptable level of craft (as defined by you, of course) is not art at all? And by the way, I wasn't aware that there was a divinely inspired text in which it is it written: 'Thou shalt not make art with a brush normally used to paint a house.' Perhaps you could you point me to it?

[@autodidact537]

@@colinbradbury2334 What you're saying is that there is nothing but opinion. If there is just opinion then everything is art & nothing is art, We end up nowhere. This is why so much of modern art is banal, empty & hideous. You really don't have a point that I can miss because you lack any standards as a point of reference & therefore you end up with nothingness. And here is the end point of modernity that you like so many people of today espouse, (without even being aware of it) NIHILISM! A world without beauty a world without sense or meaning. You end up like the leaves of summer blown away by the winds of Autumn.

[@scottscottsdale7868]

I encourage everyone to view in person a Rothko as the video suggests. Do not look away. After a time they appear to vibrate and undulate. They are remarkable.

[@GreatArtExplained]

I agree - so different in real life!

[@thirdrockjul2224]

Rothko’s paintings invoke intimacy. ❤

[@andreuasencios3620]

Good joke!!

[@AnthyMelange]

Wonderful video! I’ve studied art for YEARS in school and my mind has never been expanded this much until I’ve watched this. I’ll be watching more from this channel. Bravo! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@gallerina999]

One of the most moving summaries of Rothko and his work, especially the Seagram's commission. Thank you, James.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thank you once again for the lovely comment! Rothko is such a powerful artist and I’m happy I did him justice!

[@DavidMacDowellBlue]

There was a Rothko at LACMA here in Los Angeles. Before Covid I spend I think a total of three hours just staring at it, mostly from about a foot away.

[@stephenr80]

well thats a curious way to waste time, the eyes of a cow are way more interesting and beautiful

[@thierryf2789]

That is very selfish, among other things.

[@kiddtuffy]

I am heartened to see half a million views on this video. I often worry that our world is in culture decline. I hope these balanced and beautifully executed videos find their way into as many hands of the coming generation as possible.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Yes I’m very pleased - whether people like or dislike his work, they are at least engaging with it - thanks 🙏

[@elizabethfenik7877]

Seeing the exhibit in Paris last month was an emotional experience. I felt joy, confusion, sadness and despair and was swallowed up by the paintings! The lack of the figurative or of symbols gives the viewer the opportunity to make what they will of the painting making it a conversation between the artist and the viewer.

[@universalhologram7266]

A couple of years ago I had the chance to visit the Room at the Tate Modern and was completely blown away. The canvases are monolithic and the colors so morbidly red. It really takes you to another place. I can't wait to go see them again.

[@GreatArtExplained]

They are back at Tate Britain now (they never worked in Tate modern) next door to Turner which is what he wanted.

[@CupCaked]

Your videos are gold! I haven’t been this inspired since my college art history classes a very long time ago. Please keep producing these. You are admired and appreciated!

[@tenthousanddaysofgratitude]

I just added this to the description box of a video where I talk about the emotional, nearly mystical experience of viewing these murals. They’re wonderful and I am grateful to be able to offer this video to my viewers. 🙏

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thank you 🙏

[@amazingessence2368]

After several experiments I found back to THIS art channel and I'm glad to be here. Thx! for your work🙏

[@christinedeleon7688]

Thank you, James! This is fantastic. I've learned so much from this, I didn't realise Rothko was so radical. The paintings are incredible to see - especially with nobody else in the Room. I felt so comforted by them yesterday after a morning of feeling bummed out about tighter restrictions in London. They helped.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks so much for commenting and watching! I really appreciate it. I must say that one positive side of covid is how empty museums and galleries are. Been three times in the last few weeks to see the Seagram Murals and been on my own most of the time. Just for a brief period in time we experience them in such a powerful way.

[@nicksims2827]

The edits in this are magnificent - the merge from the Matisse to Rothko’s early abstracts is brilliant and really shows the influence

[@chancebullard7448]

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas and it was an intense experience. I genuinely felt like I saw what death and the afterlife FELT like. It was like an internal, spiritual panic attack, but I couldn’t look away. I will never forget how that painting made me feel. No piece of art has ever made me feel anything close to those emotions. Sure, I’ll cry to a beautiful song once in a blue moon. But Rothko’s paintings, viewed in their purest form, is something that will always stay with me.

[@GreatArtExplained]

I was unlucky when I went to Houston last year as it was being restored - I will go back though as I love houston - thanks for the comment 🙏

[@renataburiti418]

I wanted to write something to express how inspiring I find your videos and narration, but I can't find the right words. It has really touched me 🌷

[@JEMCC]

This was simply AMAZING as I have struggled for years to understand Rothko and the meaning behind his work. Congrats on a great informative video. Well done!

[@seanmerrickphillips]

I FRICKEN LOVE THIS CHANNEL!!! I never understood these style of paintings. Thank you!

[@godsmacked1000]

Those gradual change in colors that signify his depressive descent…. Awesome with my man.

[@roamingqueen]

I came back to rewatch this video before visiting the Mark Rothko exhibition in Paris which will run till April. It was so nice to tune in with my visit. You will love going there, James! So many wonderful pieces of his art from so many different museums ... Colour Field Paintings, Seagram Murals, Blackforms and even his early works ... it's all there! It was so wonderful to "search for the light behind the colours" as Rothko tried himself all his life.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Planning to go in march!

[@ConorP98]

Had never heard of Rothko before but this video inspired me to go to his room in the Tate. Would highly recommend, really powerful seeing them in person. Thank you so much for your videos!

[@GreatArtExplained]

They are something special in real life - thanks 🙏

[@villewallgren4288]

Im so grateful for this channel reinvigorating the interest for art that i unfortunately lost after graduating from highschool. Art became secondary in my life, where my focus laid on my career and law studies. Now im rediscovering it again through your videos! Thank you. I believe, as Keith Haring, that Art is for everyone, but it just needs to be discovered. Your videos help tremendously in starting that journey of discovery.

[@sameoldsameold264]

I'm so happy that you exist!! Please, please make more videos!

[@sheenomeechi]

Wow.. I have never looked at art in this way until I found your channel. Thank you for doing this! More Please!!!

[@amazingbluebubble]

This is the art explainer channel that youtube needs!! The demand has been filled with supply. I see great potential in this channel over coming years

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks so much for the lovely comment. And thanks for watching! Please share. Thanks

[@kerryware3580]

Art is not about “getting it”!

[@mmickle6191]

When you see the whole collection together in the gallery, for me the use of reds makes me think of a crime scene. After the body has gone to the morgue and the CSI's are doing their bit. Magnificent documentary though. I knew of the paintings but not the artist himself. I love the fact that you're supposed to stand so close to such vast canvases.

[@brianflynn2791]

Dear GAE, please accept my heartfelt thank you for your amazing content. I really appreciate you narrating in language I can understand.

[@bb-sm7wr]

The first time an art history teacher put a rothko piece on the projector I burst into tears. Something so spiritual about his works. They do vibrate, like music. They speak directly to the soul.

[@ashfaqurrahman1966]

Mind blowing. Love the narrative about Rathko. Love the destiny and position of Rathko. This is art and life. 🙏

[@buddhababy2005]

ROTHKO is his name!

[@mattpatrick885]

@@buddhababy2005 *RATHKO

[@Misspol222]

I couldn't possibly put into words how moved I am by Rothko's maroons. Most people are probably put off by their simplicity, but I've always seen them as extremely complex. The Rothko room in Tate Modern is indeed an otherworldly experience; I truly believe he managed to bring to the canvas what being depressed felt like. Thank you for this amazing video! And thank you again for educating us about such a brilliant artist!

[@okimtulal9235]

Excellent production from your channel! Rothko's art, accordingly, is one of the brilliant examples of a pause in vitality. I never understood the dynamics of these works, despite the fact that they are creations that seek the confirmation of their subjective dynamism through the empty or pluralistic eye of each observer! A form of art that voraciously seeks its inclusion in the vital zone, while at the same time denying all its dependence! A blatant exaltation of passivity! The magnanimity of human creation has given its blood to a corpse that is just shaking... There is not even blood in Rothko's art, except for a few last drops... His work, an ode to absolute pause! His work, an ode to his own end...

[@timparkhouse9925]

Eating my breakfast and learning the context of great art :-). Thank you x

[@fideebawa]

I'm very late to this video lol, but having just found out about Rothko from an Aesthetics class, I felt compelled to find out more about him. I really don't favour abstract art like this, but I find myself almost consumed when looking at his later, darker paintings. There's a strange sense of oblivion in them, and it's kinda hard to pull away from them. It's quite easy to see the mark of all of his influences once you know that they're there - I think this is a mark of a good artist. It's sad to say, but his suicide in a way completed his work, was a morbid sort of performance art. I'm still not his fan but I do really respect his work, even more so with this documentary. Great work!

[@standupstraight9691]

Perhaps he's spending eternity being forced to stare at his own work. imagine the hell that would be.

[@horace577]

Yes the Rothko room at the Tate was/is an amazing space just to sit . . great video . anyone having a problem with abstraction should go there if they can.

[@deanrichards5223]

And every one begins discussing his works, whether they like them or not? Mission to stir emotions complete!

[@krisherman3513]

What a wonderful channel! So informative on the artists their environments that makes it possible to better understand and appreciate the art they created.

[@unknown9274]

I can confirm that the rothko room in Tate Modern is something other worldly that one has to experience for themselves.

[@CelticSaint]

I´d fall asleep in there!

[@Dylan90210]

It’s an accurate representation of the absence and rejection of Gods grace and love.

[@XanBcoo]

This is where I fell in love with his work! Been a fan ever since

[@myrtle1234]

As always, thank you for the lesson, insights, and meditations.

[@johnlively7174]

From a person who can't get enough of this channel...this episode didn't really explain the paintings, which I was really hoping to get some insight on. I will now continue binge watching

[@7somekindofsomething]

Probably my favourite painter.

[@PARoth2011]

Oh wow, I didn’t know this channel existed. Many years ago I was at MOMA, standing before a (light period, I’m thinking white line across white or pale yellow on white?) Rothko trying to figure out why he was so famous and what on earth the painting meant and made the mistake of uttering that aloud to my then husband (we dealt in antique paintings but not abstract). A man walking behind us made a scathing remark about my ignorance which was even more bewildering. I watched this video and 30+ years later FINALLY got the AH HA moment. (Wouldn’t it have been nice if the stranger had spared a few moments to explain?)

[@antoinetremblay4449]

I remember seeing these at the Tate Modern in London with a friend, we sat there for a good hour, absolutely mesmerized. Thanks for bringing us this awesome video on one of my favorite artists :)

[@patcomerford7648]

Thank you for the upload.

[@karatjuicepodcast]

The story behind Rothko's work really shines a light on the tension and emotion behind these layered pieces of work. Really enjoyed this one James. Keep up the great work !

[@amyper0012]

Beautiful presentation. Thank you.

[@GreatArtExplained]

Thanks for the comment - and thanks for watching!

[@euthymialy]

Thank you so much for this fantastic content. I love learning the mind and life behind the art.

[@HopskotchBunny]

Your videos always make me look at each artist’s work with new eyes. Thank you for these WONDERFUL videos you create.

[@Ziad3195]

I adore this video. I love Rokhto's art now a lot more. Context is very important. I can't wait to see one in person... Thank you so much.

[@stardresser1]

Ah, so very excited to find your channel. There is a play, "Red", about Rothko, which I was lucky enough to see Alfred Molina as Rothko. Devastatingly beautiful and brilliant. Seek it out!

[@ernestolombardo5811]

It was the damnedest thing... visiting London and the old Tate Gallery back when there was only one Tate Gallery, I came across The Rothko Room, went in, sat down, and five minutes later, was astonished to find myself on the verge of tears. I left that room peacefully shaken and as a slightly changed man, more fine-tuned if you will. Only later did I find out that Rothko has this powerful effect on so many people.

[@GreatArtExplained]

It affects me that way too

[@johnnyjappleseed]

The high quality videos on this channel is simply insane . Thank you good sir