Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/15

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Subject: [Leica] (Fwd) Re: LUG Digest, Vol 27, Issue 475
From: leica at rcmckee.com (R. Clayton McKee)
Date: Sun Aug 15 13:13:27 2004

Bob Meier writes:

> It's really too bad that you were able to spend some time in the Rothko
> gallery and all you came away with was that.  I have been to see the
> Rothkos in the Phillips Gallery in Washington several times, in fact every
> time I go to Washington, and I treasure the time I can be there.   They
> have a beauty and an almost spritual presence that is beyond anything else
> I have ever experienced.   He was a far greater painter than most of his
> contemporaries and we are very lucky to have his works.

That is perhaps so; however, I'd have to contend that the paintings 
on display at the Rothko chapel are either not among his best, or 
they have deteriorated tremendously.  They are in fact nothing more 
or less than roughly painted rectangles of black canvas.

My first reaction, which I have never seen cause to revise, was 
"Wonder when he's going to come back and actually PAINT the things 
now that the primer's dry?"

(I mentioned this reaction in passing to the volunteer docent; she 
grinned and said "Yeah, we get a lot of that..."}

--


R. Clayton McKee                               www.rcmckee.com
Photojournalist                            rcmckee@rcmckee.com
P O Box 571900                      voice/fax   713/783-3502
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