No.18 1951

Mark Rothko created this painting, No. 18, with oil on canvas, and you know, looking at it is a little like looking into a fire, a warm, hazy sunset, or even a memory. The colours are layered on top of each other, not in a way that feels precise, but rather intuitive, like Rothko was feeling his way through the painting. The surface has a kind of soft glow, and if you look closely you can see the way the paint is built up. The edges of the shapes aren't sharp, they kind of bleed into each other, which gives the painting this dreamy, almost melancholic feel. Notice the hazy line across the middle - it's not quite straight, it wobbles a little, like a horizon line seen through a heatwave. Rothko's work reminds me a little of Agnes Martin, in the way they both use colour and form to create these quiet, meditative spaces. There’s no right or wrong way to feel when you look at this painting, it’s more about letting the colours wash over you and seeing what comes up.