Untitled c. 1944

Here’s an untitled piece by Mark Rothko, we don't have a date, done with watercolor and ink on paper. I’m struck by Rothko's approach to mark-making here. The colours are muted; a mix of blues and greys punctuated by moments of black and pink. It feels like a world in flux, where shapes emerge and dissolve. There's a gestural quality that suggests the fluidity of thought and process. Look at the looping ink lines. See how they weave and intersect, creating a sense of depth and movement? The texture is delicate, the paper allows the watercolor to bleed and blend, producing soft, atmospheric effects. The black ink is more assertive, defining forms. The physicality of the medium is evident; you can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page. I think of Arshile Gorky whose surrealist landscapes also balance abstraction with figuration. Like Gorky, Rothko embraces ambiguity. There are no easy answers here. Just a space for contemplation and imagination.