In my quest to expand my philosophy of art and know art history, I have found that the work of Mark Rothko is some of the most controversial art that is feared by 'realist' painters and thinkers. Often they cite his work in their desperate attempt to undermine anything that is not concretely defined or anything they don't understand. Rothko sought to know the things he didn't understand, here's a quote from the man himself....
"Art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can only be explored by those willing to take risks."
-Mark Rothko
I agree completely with him when says that "art is an adventure." And he was one of the greatest adventurers of that unknown world, leaving us a magnificent body of work, portals right into the depths of his soul. Yes, there are absolutely some artist's out there who simplify their expression into a kind of dull, simple, decorative display of swooshes and textures, with maybe some gold leaf and bits of music written on parchment thrown in, and then call there work 'contemporary'. If I was president (thank heavens I'm not) I would have all of these artists banned from art supply stores everywhere.
They are a reason serious artists like myself and Rothko have a harder time reaching a wider audience with our art. What I am saying is that labels like 'abstract' and 'non-objective' or contemporary, just get in the way of what is soulful art. An effort to reach across time and space with your work to touch people in an honest way with reflections of your own soul. This is what Rothko did,... If you've ever seen one of his paintings in person you know that it shines like a beacon the moment you enter the room it's in. (It does for me anyways).
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