Ten years ago today I posted this painting, No.14, 1960, on Tumblr as the first post for my blog Daily Rothko.
Since then I have shuffled some social media accounts but l’ve never missed a day posting a Rothko.
The frequency of once a day I decided on because I saw it as a small daily meditation practice. I hoped that by presenting Rothko’s work in this way, it would reveal his unique “same but different” quality, his endless creativity with color contrasted by his (eventual) adherence to a central image. The repetition revealing the variation.
Over the years, I’ve tried to learn as much as I can to keep up with your questions and conversations, but the real story of this blog is all of you.
started getting submissions from people the first month I was doing this and it has made all the difference in the world. As revealing as museum scans, catalog reproductions and scholarship can be, their perspective is profoundly enriched by peoples personal experiences and by the photographs they send of the paintings in different light, in different spaces and from different angles.
All of this gives us a deeper view of the artwork, and I think helps keep it alive too.
While I love seeing old pictures of the studio, it’s illuminating when we can balance them with impressions and photographs taken just recently.
There’s something about being able to view the painting the way it looked yesterday that reminds you, as Rothko said, it “Lives and breathes”
Everybody in the Rothko world from museum people to casual art enthusiasts have been nothing but friendly and supportive of this little project. So, I will use this small occasion to say thanks for your invaluable participation, and l'Il see you again in 10 years.
in the meantime, here’s a nice new scan of the painting (it’s big try blowing it up for details)
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