Untitled 1944

This untitled work by Mark Rothko is made with thin washes of color and bold gestural marks. Imagine Rothko, his brush dancing across the surface, each stroke a conversation between intention and accident. I see black punctuations around a vaguely head-like form in the upper part of the painting, and a sort of horizontal division which bisects the painting into a definite ‘above’ and ‘below’. What does it mean? Is it intentional? I like these questions. They are part of the process for Rothko, just as they are for me. The paint is thin, almost like watercolor, allowing the layers to interact, creating depth and luminosity. The pinks and grays evoke a melancholic mood. There’s a real sadness in his color choices, but it is also restful. It's funny how artists from different backgrounds and eras seem to be in conversation with one another. Rothko's work reminds me of Gorky, of Guston, of so many others; a reminder that art is an ongoing exchange of ideas across time. And perhaps a little bit of you too!