Just seen Simon Schama's documentary on Rothko! _ to all those others
out there who are sad about what rank commercialism and the celebrity
culture have done to the arts, this programme would be a shot in the arm
equal to "The Mona Lisa Curse" from Robert Hughes.
It is encouraging to see support from establishment figures in our stand
against the superficiality that is the inevitable outcome when the arts are
ruled by commercial interests ......... here are the final words from the film:
"................they (Rothko's works) are a gateway to the place
where only art can take us, far away from the buzzing static of
the moment and towards the music of the spheres.................."
"can anything be less cool than this room in the heart of Tate
Modern? ........further away from the razzle dazzle of
contemporary art, the frantic hustle of now ?
This is not about now. This is about forever!
This is a place where you come to sit in the low light and feel
the aeons rolling by; to be taken towards the gates that open
onto the threshold of eternity; to feel the poignancy of our
comings and goings, our entrances and exits, our births and
our deaths.........
womb - tomb and everything between!
Can Art ever be more complete, more powerful?.........
I don't think so!"
Simon Schama from the Mark Rothko part of the series "The Power of Art"
