Tate documentary reveals 18-month restoration of vandalized Rothko painting
A Tate documentary details the restoration of Mark Rothko's 'Black on Maroon' (1958), vandalized in October 2012 with black paint. The 18-month process involved a team of conservators—Rachel Barker, Bronwyn Ormsby, and Patricia Smithen—who developed a technical solution to remove the graffiti. The painting, part of the Seagram Murals series donated by Rothko in 1970, was reinstalled in April 2014.
Key facts
- Mark Rothko's 'Black on Maroon' (1958) was vandalized in October 2012
- The vandal used a brush and black paint to write on the canvas
- Restoration took over 18 months
- Tate conservators Rachel Barker, Bronwyn Ormsby, and Patricia Smithen led the restoration
- The painting belongs to the Seagram Murals series
- Rothko donated the Seagram Murals to the Tate in 1970
- The restored work was returned to display in April 2014
- A Tate documentary documents the entire restoration process
Entities
Artists
- Mark Rothko
Institutions
- Tate
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom