Video Review: Rothko and Uncertainty

1. I chose the video on Rothko because I have heard that he had a very strange and unique personality. I also heard he had very deep philosophies on art which I wanted to get more of an understanding of. I chose the video, "Uncertainty: Modernity and Art", because the title seemed interesting. I was not sure what to expect besides a comment on modern art.

2.   The key concepts of  the Rothko video include Mark Rothko's beginnings as a smart Russian immigrant, his education, his rough beginning attempts at art and his major commisions including the Seagrams Tower, The Four Seasons Restaurant and The Houston Chapel. The video also describes Rothko's deep intentions for creating art, which included solemn meditation and elevating art to spiritual purpose.  Although Rothko achieved much praise and recognition for his minimalist or "color-field" work including an exhibit at the Tate Modern Gallery, he eventually killed himself in the early 1970s.
The key concepts of the video "Uncertainty: Modernity and Art" include the movements of art since the turn of the century, how Cubism changed the attitudes on art's function, how the Nazi's tried to suppress abstraction, and the movements that came after the WWII including Abstract Expressionism, Pop-Art and minimalism. It asks the question about how art reflects modern culture and its changing functions.  Other concepts it describes are the contemporary art world, and how it has spread internationally to growing economic hubs like China. The main concept of the video deals with how the uncertainty of modern society has led artists to grapple with this anxiety through experimentation and reflection.

3.The two videos I chose relate to the readings in Chapter 22 about modern art movements of the twentieth century. Rothko's work is mentioned specifically in the chapter and all of the movements that were discussed in the video on Modernity were definitely outlined there as well. The part of the "Modernity" video about the contemporary art in China relates to Chapter 23, with the idea of globalization and how.
4.
I liked the video on Rothko because it painted a detailed portrait about who he was and his theories on art. This definitely gives me a better understanding on the concepts behind some color field painting and how to  read a Rothko painting. I thought that the video "Uncertainty: Modernity and Art" was a great overview of modern art's goals and the many different movements that aimed to make sense of the uncertainty of the modern world. I understand many specific artists better thanks to this film including Paul Klee, Barnett Newman and Piet Mondrian. This helped me to better understand many of these art movements and the specific globalization occurring in China.