Two years ago, a Mark Rothko painting sold for $82.5 million at auction at
Sotheby's in New York, the second-highest price for a work by the late
abstract artist. Titled, "No.7," the 95 in (241 cm) high canvas painted in
1951 in bands of green, crimson and lavender. It was the first time the
painting had come to auction. The identity of the buyer was not known but it
provoked fierce phone bidding from people representing Asian clients.
This is from the article published in thejakartapost.com with the title
Rothko abstract sells for $82.5 million.
I looked at the painting and I didn't fucking get it. Just when I thought I
understand this world (to be full of lies and bullshit) I read this article
today. I was shocked.
I searched the internet and read those "perceptive" people that “understand”
art I have to say I don’t get them either. And I look into these paintings,
they are huge and I wonder at them where is the catch. Why they are have
multi-million dollar price tags and why they are praised by people that are
supposed to know about art.
Critics, Art Historians, Collectors (and pretentious modern artists) have to
keep playing the game, otherwise the prices of works of art (genuine and
pretentious alike) would collapse, and with them their incomes and power.
Art critics can write justifications for Rothko's paintings as they wish, I
doubt that they’ll ever change my mind. I think this is a pretentious crap
just one more lunacy of the modern world.
Angelika Villa, the art critics wrote about the paintings:
Mark Rothko’s abstractions, recognizable for their rectangularly shaped
floating forms and thin washes of color, have been said by critics and
historians to invoke the metaphysical. The Russian-American painter relied
on these formal elements to imbue his canvases with grand meaning. He
famously remarked his works comprise the basic tenets of human feeling:
“tragedy, ecstasy, doom.”
Metaphysics, tragedy ecstasy, doom... what a gibberish!!!
I found an interesting article about him, written by the guy who actually met
Mr. Rothko. He asked him: "Are there any people who pay money for your creations?"
The Rothko was not at all offended and answered him with kindness : "Oh yes, there are people who do buy them but I have trouble separating
myself from my creations. They correspond to a moment of my life, my
thoughts, my moods..."
I was intrigued by his words so I dig up more about Mark Rothko, his life... I
read that at the end he committed suicide.
And then, I understood everything. Death, the power of finality.
He started by painting people and objects in his youth but he stopped it
realizing how useless that was.
So he became a spiritual realist, not a young ambitious artist who wanted to
find his place in the world. Rothko lived a solitary life, sitting and smoking
for hours, sometimes days in front of his work.
His paintings became those of an ill man who progressively was falling into
final depression. He put darkness and light of his feelings and thoughts on
the display to anyone who can see it. After his death, they became more than a
painting, they became continuation of himself.
I would not pay more than 100 bucks for any of these paintings. Mark Rothko
did not actually get it. He lacked the courage, finally giving up his life and
leaving behind the "priceless" paintings for those ignorant people who are
just the same as he was.
I prefer
Zorba's Way of Life
Category
