Houston’s Rothko Chapel Forced to Close Due to Hurricane Damage

Hurricane Beryl, which ripped through parts of the Caribbean and Yucatán Peninsula before making landfall in Texas on July 8, has forced the Rothko Chapel to close indefinitely.

The institution, which houses 14 of Mark Rothko’s Seagram Mural paintings in Houston, Texas, found itself in the Category 1 (down from Category 5) storm’s warpath. Three of the murals were damaged, along with parts of the chapel’s ceiling and several of its walls.

Beryl killed 64 people in late June and early July. The Houston area accounted for almost half of the death toll.

“The chapel’s continued stewardship of this beloved cultural and sacred site, renowned for its Mark Rothko panels, remains our highest priority, and the closure will ensure the necessary repairs and restoration can be made as effectively and completely as required,” the chapel’s chief executive director, David Leslie, said in a statement. “Our focus now is on the restoration of the building and panels, and on continuing our mission of both contemplation and action at the intersection of art, spirituality, and human rights.”

It’s not yet known how much the repairs will cost the Rothko Chapel, nor when it will reopen.

The Art Newspaper reported that Beryl is estimated to have caused “between $28 billion and $32 billion in damage in the United States alone, with insurers in the Houston area expected to pay out between $2.5 billion and $3.5 billion in claims because of the storm.”

Houston collectors Dominique and John de Menil built the chapel as a space for contemplation. It opened in 1971 and operates as a non-profit entity.