New Rothko Display Unveiled at Rothko Museum
On 24 April the Rothko Museum in Daugavpils unveiled a new permanent display of paintings by Mark Rothko, inviting visitors into a renewed encounter with one of the defining figures of twentieth-century art in the city where his story began.
Drawn from the private collections of Christopher Rothko and Kate Rothko Prizel, the exhibition – on view until April 2029 – reinforces the museum’s distinctive role as the only institution in Eastern Europe to provide permanent access to Rothko’s work.
Tracing the arc of the artist’s development – from early figurative and Surrealist compositions to multiform experiments and the luminous colour field paintings of his mature period – the display reveals a shift from representation to abstraction, from form to colour as a vehicle of emotional and spiritual experience.
Produced in close collaboration with the artist’s children, the display continues the institution’s founding vision of a rotating presentation, with each selection offering a renewed perspective on Rothko’s art.
Speaking at the opening, Māris Čačka, Director of the Rothko Museum, said:
“It is a privilege to present these works in Daugavpils, where Rothko’s life began. We are proud to continue sharing his paintings with audiences from Latvia and beyond and to deepen the dialogue between Rothko’s legacy and contemporary artistic practice.”
In a message shared at the opening, Kate Rothko Prizel reflected on the enduring bond between her father’s work and Daugavpils, emphasising its continued resonance for audiences today.
Born in Daugavpils in 1903, Mark Rothko spent his formative years here before emigrating to the United States. Although his career unfolded abroad, the city remains his point of origin.
The opening day programme extended this connection across disciplines through “Transposition. The Rothko Motif”, a project by the Latvian textile artist Iveta Vecenāne, who has translated selected paintings from Rothko’s Surrealist period into tapestry.
“Transposition. The Rothko Motif” is on view at the Rothko Museum until 30 August 2026, while “Rothko. From the Family Collection” remains on show until April 2029.
Support: Daugavpils City Council; Latvia’s Culture Capital Foundation; JCDecaux Latvia; Caparol.
Publicity image: Rothko’s paintings at the Rothko Museum (photo by Santa Suhanova)
