Why 100,000 people a year trek to the Rothko Chapel, the world’s most ‘challenging’ art venue
Mark Rothko’s ‘magnum opus’ holds visitors in silent thrall. On its 50th anniversary, his son explains the source of its strange power
The Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas
Credit: Alamy
This week marks the 50th anniversary of one of the great artworks of the 20th century. Not that its creator ever got to see it unveiled. The work in question is the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas, which opened its doors on February 26 1971. It was designed by the eponymous American painter, Mark Rothko, who also provided 14 of his trademark abstract canvases for the interior.