One of Houston’s most fascinating places is the Rothko Chapel (map here) on the campus of St. Thomas University in the Montrose area, which is one of the most peaceful places in Houston. The chapel houses fourteen paintings of the late American abstract expressionist Mark Rothko, who committed suicide in 1970. Rothko and architect Philip Johnson collaborated on the design of the chapel, which opened in 1971 and is a part of the art empire of the late John and Dominique de Menil, who were Houston’s primary art patrons over much of the past half century.
This NY Times article reviews a new book on Rothko based on some recently discovered writings of Rothko — “The Artist’s Reality: Philosophies of Art” (Yale University Press). The book was writted by Rothko’s son, who was six years old at the time of Rothko’s suicide, and addresses the philosophical underpinnings of the Color Field paintings, which are generally considered to be Rothko’s greatest breakthrough. The review provides a decent overview of Rothko’s fascinating life, and also of the infamous decade-long battle over the Rothko estate that erupted after Rothko’s death.
The Rothko Chapel is a special place, and it never fails to generate interesting reactions when I introduce friends and visitors to it. If you have never visited the chapel, I highly recommend that you do so and learn more about this interesting part of Houston art culture.