Mark Rice-Ko: Caitlin Levin and Henry Hargreaves Recreate Famous Rothko Paintings Using Rice

Posted By Mark Boyer On October 17, 2012 @ 4:07 pm In Art,carousel showcase,Sustainable Food | No Comments

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When news spread that Mark Rothko's "Black on Maroon" painting had been vandalized ^[6] last week, art lovers around the world responded with outrage - but the event inspired two artists to create a series of recreations of Rothko paintings using colored rice. Food stylist Caitlin Levin ^[7] and photographer Henry Hargreaves ^[8] have collaborated to produce what they're calling the "Mark Rice-Ko" series, which is based on Rothko's iconic Seagram Murals series (which, not coincidently, included "Black on Maroon").

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On Sunday, a visitor to the Tate Modern in London walked up to Rothko’s “Black on Maroon” and scribbled the words “a potential piece of yellowism” in black marker on the lower right corner. Later, Vladimir Umanets, leader of the Yellowist movement, claimed responsibility for defacing the painting, telling the BBC ^[10], “I am not a vandal. I haven’t done criminal damage.’’ The good news is that the museum staff believe they will be able to restore the painting.

That Levin and Hargreaves chose to recreate the paintings using rice isn’t a coincidence; the original paintings had a strong connection to food. The Seagram Murals were originally commissioned by Joseph Seagram and Sons for the Four Seasons luxury restaurant in New York. Rothko, offended by the restaurant’s well-to-do clientele, claimed that he tried to produce paintings that would “ruin the appetite of every son-of-a-bitch who ever eats in that room.” But in the end it didn’t matter, because Rothko later refused to deliver the paintings and instead gave nine of them to the Tate.

+ Caitlin Levin ^[7]

+ Henry Hargreaves ^[8]

Via Flavorpill ^[11]

Photos © Henry Hargreaves ^[8]

Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com

URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/mark-rice-ko-caitlin-levin-and-henry-hargreaves-recreate-famous-rothko-paintings-using-rice/

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[5]  : http://inhabitat.com/mark-rice-ko-caitlin-levin-and-henry-hargreaves-recreate-famous-rothko-paintings-using-rice/rothko-rice-3/?extend=1

[6] had been vandalized: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/rothko-vandalized-at-tate-modern/

[7] Caitlin Levin: http://www.caitlinstyle.com/

[8] Henry Hargreaves: http://henryhargreaves.com/

[9] Image: http://inhabitat.com/mark-rice-ko-caitlin-levin-and-henry-hargreaves-recreate-famous-rothko-paintings-using-rice/rothko-rice-7/

[10] telling the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19871487

[11] Flavorpill: http://www.flavorwire.com/336870/rothko-paintings-recreated-in-rice

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