Rothko Chapel

Book excerpt: A first look at the recently restored Rothko Chapel, a world-renowned destination for spiritual renewal, with all-new photography and scholarship of the renovated building and campus, published on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The Rothko Chapel--home to 14 monumental modernist paintings by the pioneer Abstract Expressionist Mark Rothko--is an interfaith sacred space dedicated to global human rights, art, and spirituality, located in Houston. The Chapel was founded in 1971 by arts patrons and philanthropists Dominique and John de Menil, who placed their utmost faith in Rothko's vision to express the profound, the miraculous, and regard for the sanctity of the human spirit in this oasis for the intellect and the spirit. Through photographic testimony and the insights of scholars, this large-format volume gives an intimate look at this sacred space, where visitors seek solace and inspiration within this truly ecumenical sanctuary featuring Rothko's iconic paintings. Pamela Smart discusses the spiritual side and Stephen Fox puts the architecture in the context of Houston. The Chapel has been reworked within an expanded campus to enhance the experience for its many visitors. As viewers sit in stillness or move about the Chapel's serene octagonal enclosure, the reinstalled skylight better reveals the nuances of Rothko's powerful panels and allows for better connection to the outdoors as conditions shift, such as when clouds pass above.