The Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas, will remain closed indefinitely after suffering damage related to Hurricane Beryl, per an announcement Wednesday, August 14.
Gale-force winds and torrential rain impacted the chapel’s roof, causing leaks and subsequent water damage to the structure’s walls and to three of the 14 original Mark Rothko paintings displayed in the space.
The Category 1 hurricane made landfall on Houston on July 8 and caused at least 22 deaths in the area.
A spokesperson for the Rothko Chapel did not provide additional details on which specific panels were damaged but told Hyperallergic that the works are currently undergoing conservation analysis by Whitten and Proctor Fine Art Preservation.
“What we do know is that the damage is repairable,” the spokesperson wrote in an email to Hyperallergic.
An estimated cost of the damage has not yet been publicized. In 2021, a Rothko painting from 1951 sold at auction for $82.5 million, making it one of the highest-valued works by an abstract artist at the time. Works by the Color Field painter have reportedly fetched significantly higher prices in the private market.
The indefinite closure of the Rothko Chapel places its fall programming in limbo. The chapel said it will look into alternative venues in the Houston area for its upcoming events, including meditation sessions, concerts, book launches, and lectures.
“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,” Executive Director David Leslie said in a statement.
Art patrons Dominique and John de Menil founded the Chapel as a non-sectarian space for contemplation. Originally conceived as a Catholic church, the space evolved into a non-denominational place of worship housing holy texts including the Bible, Qur’an, Bhagavad Gita, and Khordeh Avesta.
The founding couple commissioned Rothko to create paintings for the Chapel and granted him influence over the structure’s architecture. The result was an octagonal space featuring Rothko’s works that now attracts around 100,000 visitors a year.
