Untitled (brown and gray) 1969

This untitled painting in brown and gray is one of Rothko's works where he's really trying to get at something essential using just colour and form. He’s not trying to make a picture of anything, but rather an experience for the viewer. Up close, you can see how the paint is laid down in layers, not quite covering what’s beneath. It's pretty thinned out, which lets the light bounce around and make it glow a bit. The whole thing is kind of hazy, like a memory or a feeling that's hard to put into words. The brown is broken up by hints of gold. Look at that horizon line, it feels like it's breathing. Rothko’s color fields are sort of like Barnett Newman's zips, they both aim at something grand, something beyond the everyday. It’s not about understanding it all at once but letting it sink in over time.