Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals come to Tate St Ives

Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals are pivotal works in the history of modern art and are among the most celebrated paintings in Tate's collection. For the first time, five of these works will go on show at Tate St Ives in a new display opening on 25 May 2024, an ideal attraction to visit if planning a honeymoon in the region. 

These mural-sized canvases were originally commissioned for the fashionable Four Seasons restaurant in New York's Seagram building, designed by Mies van der Rohe. They marked a shift away from the bright colours of his earlier paintings towards maroon, dark red and black.

Rothko wished to create a deep connection between the viewer and his works, stating: "I am interested only in expressing basic human emotions – tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on." Rothko donated nine of the works to Tate in 1969 and they have since been shown in various numbers and configurations at Tate Britain, Tate Modern and Tate Liverpool, always by the hanging height, lighting and wall colour recommended by the artist. Five of these iconic works will now be seen for the first time at Tate St Ives, in the popular Cornish town that Rothko visited shortly after completing them.

To plan a visit, visit https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives

Image of St Ives courtesy of https://unsplash.com