Following Hurricane Damage, the Rothko Chapel Reopens to the Public

After closing due to hurricane-related damage earlier this year in July, the landmark Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas reopened to the public on Tuesday.

The chapel boasts a suite of 14 massive paintings by the color field abstraction artist, with American abstract artist Barnett Newman’s monumental sculpture Broken Obelisk (1963–67) outside. It was commissioned by powerhouse art world collectors John and Dominique de Menil in 1964 and opened in 1971.

The groundbreaking for an expansion project of the chapel, which is expected to take two years to complete, was announced in April.

The mid-century building sustained damage from Hurricane Beryl, which devastated the area in July, however, and left the chapel closed indefinitely. A team of art conservators and engineers repaired damage to the walls and ceiling, as well as four (of fourteen total) damaged Mark Rothko paintings that had been inside the chapel; the canvases were moved off-site for restoration by Whitten & Proctor Fine Art Conservation.

“Since the storm, our focus has been on the complete repair of the building, the restoration of the damaged panels and on the reopening of the building so the public once again has access to this beloved space for contemplation and meditation,” David Leslie, the Rothko Chapel‘s executive director, explained in a statement.

“Getting to this point has been a true community effort involving an amazing team of art conservators, scientists, art handlers, volunteers, community partners and Chapel staff, and we are very excited to reopen in time for the holidays,” he added.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Rothko Chapel is considered a meditative landmark.