Rothko Chapel

Rothko Chapel

The Rothko Chapel was constructed in 1971, at the height of artist Mark Rothko's fame. Rothko was one of the first and only minimalist abstract artists, and certainly the most successful. His work is extraordinary from a rhetoric of design standpoint because each painting represents so much more than what is portrayed. His Rothko chapel is perhaps the most extreme example of this; each of the 14 canvases which line the walls of the chapel are painted solid black. The chapel is a study in emotion and awareness of space, and as such, the construction of the space is also calculated for maximum effect. There is very little empty wall between one canvas and the next; the walls are painted white, so the canvases appear darker; the ceiling slants inward and is covered by a large, umbrella-like structure to keep the space dimly but naturally lit. The benches can also be reconfigured or removed entirely to suit a congregation or other event. The Rothko Chapel is a prime example of how the way art is framed can lend it far more meaning than it might have on its own.

Ben Wolf