Rothko Chapel, Non-denominational chapel and art museum in Houston, United States
The Rothko Chapel is an octagonal brick building with an art museum in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, Texas. The fourteen dark-toned murals are distributed across three walls in the form of triptychs and individual paintings, creating a restrained interior without denominational symbols.
The de Menil couple commissioned the painter in 1964 to design a meditation space open to all faiths. The dedication took place in 1971, shortly after the artist's death in 1970.
The name refers to the fourteen large canvases by the abstract expressionist that line the interior and invite quiet contemplation. People of different faiths use the space for personal meditation or attend events on human rights topics.
The chapel reopened in December 2024 after repairs to murals, ceiling and walls damaged by stormwater during Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. It stands in the Montrose neighborhood, between the Menil Collection building and the Chapel of Saint Basil on the University of Saint Thomas campus, about 2 mi (3.2 km) southwest of downtown. Inside, eight simple movable benches provide seating, with more brought in for events, and holy books from several religions are available.
In front of the entrance stands the over 26-foot-tall (8 meters) Broken Obelisk by Barnett Newman, dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. The tip of the sculpture does not touch the ground but seems to float in the air.
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