Mark Rothko- Red and Black 1968
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A painting is not a picture of an experience, but is the experience.
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This quote from Mark Rothko made me stop this morning. I hear a lot of artists talk about capturing a moment with their work. I am pretty sure those words have come out of my mouth when I am just blathering on. But a piece of art works best when it causes the viewer (for visual artists) to feel as though they are experiencing something new in that moment when they stand in front of it.
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Not a representation of a moment but a moment in itself.
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But how do you do that?
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I can’t really say for sure. Maybe it comes in being fully engaged emotionally during the creation of the work. Perhaps that moment of emotion becomes part of the piece and it is that which the viewer senses and experiences in the work.
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I don’t really know but it is something I will consider when I am in front of the easel in a few minutes.
Amazing post! 👍👍👌👌
Thank you!
My pleasure! ☺👍👍
Rothko’s mostly not my cup of tea, but I still enjoy being reminded of his work from time to time. Also: it’s work that’s best seen in context, rather than on a page. The Rothko Chapel here in Houston’s the sort of place where his paintings really shine.
Yes, his work is definitely much more effective when seen in person than on a screen or page. You lose the sense of scale and depth and all of the tactile feel that makes it an experience.