Mark Rothko - Pink 1953 Framed Print, 89 x 74cm

Russian born Mark Rothko (1903 – 1970) introduced Abstract Expressionism, a new form of Abstraction-ism, into the art world. Characterised by bright bands of horizontal colours painted on enormous canvases, Rothko’s style was intended to engulf viewers in the artwork. Ambiguously named so that viewers could form their own impressions, he utilised a spare palette with the darkest shades placed at the top to symbolise the mental depression which plagued him. Rothko’s masterful use of colour powerfully conveyed an intimate, intense message without subject matter and adhered to his credo that a good painting must have a deep meaning rooted in concepts of mortality and spirituality.