RED

I had a big treat today when I went to see the Tony-award winning play about Mark Rothko, Red.  There are only two characters in this play---Mark Rothko and a fictional assistant, Ken.  The dialogue deals with the big issues about such as why an artist makes art, why Rothko worked big, the meaning of color, and the "life" of the painting once the artist brings it into existence. There really were more issues, but this is a blog--not an essay...so I share with you the ones I thought about on the way home.

Rothko has Portland roots because he emigrated here from Russia when he was 10.  He went to high school here and studied art at the Museum School, which is now the Pacific Northwest College of Art.  His first exhibit was at the Portland Art Museum PAM).  I give them credit for knowing his work was important, even then.  PAM has survey show going on now.  I am organizing a group for docent-led tour.  

The time frame of the play is the 60s when Rothko was working on a series (which he called murals) of paintings for the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York.  Eventually, Rothko withdrew the pieces from the restaurant and returned the commission.  

I felt privileged to see this thought-provoking play.  Although Rothko is someone I may not have wanted to know personally, I never tire of looking at (and being with) his huge confrontive, and yet also comforting, works of art.  They do seem to have their own presence.  The viewer is almost forced to interact with them rather than just looking at them.

As a performance, the play has some unique elements.  Ken actually stretches a huge canvas and he and Rothko give it a base coat of red---of course!  It was a powerful demonstration.

I'm glad I went.