Rothko: Pictures Must Be Miraculous
Rothko: Pictures Must Be Miraculous
Celebrated painter Mark Rothko is considered one of the most renowned figures of the Abstract Expressionist movement. He transformed the world of art beginning in the 1940s. For decades, Rothko struggled to find his unique voice, snubbed by galleries and museums, and barely subsisting on occasional sales and a day job as an art teacher. In 1948, Rothko discovered the style that would make him one of the country’s most acclaimed artists. His classic paintings are characterized by expanding dimensions and an increasingly simplified use of form, brilliant hues, and broad, thin washes of color. For many, viewing a Rothko elicits a sublime, spiritual experience.
Today, Rothko’s work routinely breaks records at auctions, selling for tens of millions of dollars. Rothko: Pictures Must Be Miraculous explores the artist’s tumultuous journey and includes interviews with Rothko’s daughter Kate and son Christopher, Academy Award-nominated writer John Logan, and scenes from the Tony Award-winning play “Red,” with Alfred Molina in the role of Mark Rothko.
Contributor
John Logan, Kate Rothko, Christopher Rothko, Alfred Molina
Director
Eric Slade
Genres
Arts & Culture
Duration
1x60
Production Company
American Masters, Oregon Public Broadcasting
Videos
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