Artwork 1. Mark Rothko, Seagram Murals 1956 [Tate and Kawamura Museum of Art]
Artwork 2. Warhol, 13 Most Wanted Men silkscreen on masonite, 20 x 20 feet, New York State Pavilion 1964
Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals particularly the Tate was created in the year 1956. The piece was problematic in several ways. First, it was originally commissioned to be placed at the Four Seasons Restaurant in the Seagram Building. However, the artist was not happy with its placement. He then withdrew and donated a group of the works to Tate. The painting arrived in London at the actual day that Rothko, the artist committed suicide. The main artistic movement at the time was a combination of color field, abstract expressionism and modern art.
On the other hand, Warhol’s most wanted men silkscreen on Masonite was created in the year 1964. Just like Rothko’s Tate, it also had some problems. It is a large mural that was painted using silver before the opening of the fair exhibition. This was a problem whose main cause is not known but assumptions state that the officials of the fair might have objected to its placement. The piece by Warhol was intended to be placed hanging on the outside of the Theaterema. This image was created during the pop art movement, a period when abstract expressionism and modern art were the main characteristics of the movement.
A similarity between the two pieces is that they were both objected. Also, both works were done in a hurry and the artists were both not happy about the commission. A main feature of the movement at the time which the artworks were made that is evident in Rothko and Warhol’s pieces is the use of aggressive mingling of colors and shapes. There is also expression of reality that is portrayed in a nonrepresentational statement using artic techniques such as line, color and size.
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