About a year ago, I wrote something on the Rothko in Britain exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery (http://www.thenewwolf.co.uk/2011/09/rothko-in-britain/). I have always been mesmerised and seduced by Rothko’s art, although I have not always fully understand why. Perhaps it is the enigmatic factor, the sense of I-will-never-fully understand-this-but-so-what… it is enough that it moves and touches something within.

Headline news today reported that Vladimir, apparently a founder of the art movement (or phenomenon, as he prefers to call it), yellowism, defaced one of Rothko’s paintings – Black on Maroon – at Tate Modern using black paint to scrawl his name.

The painting, estimated price tag over £50 million, will most likely, and hopefully, be restored to its original condition.

Vladimir claims to hugely like and respect Rothko’s work.

An extreme, yet also intriguing, if not bizarre, act of defacement/graffiti. I am sure Vladimir can justify his actions to himself. It is unlikely that most of us will buy into these justifications.

But I guess that is not the point…

CQ