Abstract Composition in Black, Gray, Pink, Blue, and Green [verso] c. 1944

Mark Rothko made this watercolor abstract composition in black, gray, pink, blue and green, probably in the 1930s or 40s. It looks like he’s working things out. He’s not sure what to keep and what to wipe away. See how the colors are washed out? It is like he’s thinking through how the painting is built. The gray especially is like a veil. It spreads across everything like a mood. Look at the right side of the painting. There are some vertical marks made with the side of the brush. They add such a sense of texture and movement. They feel like both affirmation and erasure. This piece reminds me a bit of Arthur Dove who also explored the emotive power of color and form. Both artists embrace ambiguity, inviting us to feel, rather than decipher, their work.