The modern art father of spirit: Spirituality in color and experiences in the paintings of Mark Rothk

Mark Rothko's paintings are examined in terms of their connection with spirituality, with his final project, The Rothko Chapel as a case study. Spirituality is defined as holding elements of religion, personal reflection, experience and devotion. Rothko's works possess these qualities of spirituality and are an important catalyst in the shift toward redefining spirituality and emotions expressed through color fields. Rothko drew from a wide range of influences including philosophers, primitive or archaic cultures, and mythology that he approached with working from the unconscious mind as a form of spiritual experience that made him unique. It is in this spiritual experience of creating works through his unconscious mind, his works seeks to express the authentic human emotions in his paintings. This automatism is seen also in Rothko's abstraction with his repetition and color and bringing a deeper sublime connection with the viewer. Rothko's work is a reflection of this new spiritual art in the context of Abstract Expressionism and modern art because his works are uniquely spiritual. Rothko's paintings and chapel allow him to be recognized as the father of the spiritual in modern art movement. The study of Rothko's connection to spirituality is important in understanding the private artist as well as to understand Rothko's paintings. The thesis at hand presents the connections between spirituality, color, and spiritual traditions, as it relates to Rothko's career and legacy.