Mark Rothko

The show of 13 great paintings by Mark Rothko at the Garage Centre for Contemporary Culture in Moscow prompts me to recall my friendship with the artist. The abstractions range in date from a “multiform” of 1949, the year that Rothko arrived at his mature style, to a profoundly tragic “landscape” of 1970, the year of his death. As a young art critic, I was fortunate to witness at first hand the evolution of Rothko’s abstractions from 1956, when I first met him, to the end of his life, and to interview the artist about six times about his motivations and ideas.

THE SHOW OF 13 GREAT PAINTINGS BY MARK ROTHKO AT THE GARAGE CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY CULTURE IN MOSCOW PROMPTS ME TO RECALL MY FRIENDSHIP WITH THE ARTIST. THE ABSTRACTIONS RANGE IN DATE FROM A "MULTIFORM" OF 1949, THE YEAR THAT ROTHKO ARRIVED AT HIS MATURE STYLE, TO A PROFOUNDLY TRAGIC "LANDSCAPE" OF 1970, THE YEAR OF HIS DEATH. AS A YOUNG ART CRITIC, I WAS FORTUNATE TO WITN ESS AT FIRST HAND TH E EVOLUTION OF ROTHKO'S ABSTRACTIONS FROM 1956, WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, TO THE END OF HIS LIFE, AND TO INTERVIEW THE ARTIST ABOUT SIX TIMES ABOUT HIS MOTIVATIONS AND IDEAS.