Scope and Contents 2. Spend Quiet Time In The Rothko ChapelAnother of de Menil’s contributions to Houston, the Rothko Chapel is located near the Menil Collection. The nondenominational chapel is named for the Russian-born artist, Mark Rothko, who painted the 14 massive canvases that at first glance appear nearly black. Have a seat on one of the chapel’s benches. As you adjust to the ambient light, you see colors, depth, and movement in his paintings.In keeping with John and Dominique de...

Scope and Contents The art historian Robert Rosenblum’s notion of the “abstract sublime” was conceived to justify Barnett Newman’s Vir Heroicus Sublimis, 1951, along with the untitled abstractions Marc Rothko and Clyfford Still painted early in the 1950s. The works of all three have been grouped together as “post-painterly abstractions”—large, not to say grandiose paintings that eschewed the excited, manic, aggressive gestures of “painterly abstractions,” best exemplified by Jackson Pollock’s so-called...

Scope and Contents A pair of recently completed projects in Houston, contrasting in virtually every way yet each one elevating the ritual of experiencing the visual arts, neatly illustrate the shifting priorities and values within the field of architecture over the last few years.The more dramatic of these, and radically so, is the new Nancy and Rich Kinder Building of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. It is, unabashedly, a work of “starchitecture”: a signature, object-building designed by a...

Scope and Contents HoustonIf Philadelphia is a portal to the past, Houston is a preview of the American future, a vast zoning-free sprawl—the city and its suburbs are larger than Rhode Island—with a kaleidoscope of percolating cultures. Downtown is a bristling arsenal of gleaming office towers connected by a futuristic network of tunnels, and at night, the incessant traffic on the tangle of expressways lends a Blade Runner frisson: I wouldn’t have been surprised to see an alien warship hovering...

Scope and Contents NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE T he Rothko Chapel in Houston opened 50 years ago, on the weekend of February 26, 1971. Lots of events are planned throughout the year to celebrate and contextualize it, and deservedly so. The tiny building is not decorated by Mark Rothko’s last work, since “decorated” suggests that the art augments the chapel. Rather, the building is a mere stage for a suite of religious paintings, though “religious” isn’t precise, either. You won’t find angels on the walls, or...

Scope and Contents In July 1971, artist Peter Bradley wrote out to 18 artists seeking work for an exhibition due to take place in Houston, Texas. This wasn’t a typical summer group show, however—it had grander intentions. Anthony Caro, Sam Gilliam, Virginia Jaramillo, Al Loving, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, and Larry Poons were among those who received typewritten letters that started out with the following: “We’re planning an exhibition in the poor section of Houston. The object is to bring first-rate art...

Scope and Contents Visiting a city like Houston can feel overwhelming. Like many places in Texas, Houston is spread out, and attractions aren’t centered in just one area. While we are big fans of neighborhoods like Downtown Houston and the Museum District, they are only two of many rich local communities with their own personality and attractions.Use our list of the best Houston neighborhoods to curate a travel itinerary that perfectly aligns with your tastes and interests. Move between each...