Hurricane-Damaged Rothko Chapel to Remain Closed Indefinitely

TheRothko Chapelin Houston, which is home to fourteen site-specific black murals by American abstract painter Mark Rothko and draws some 110,000 visitors annually, has been forced to shutter owing to destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl. The storm, which made landfall in Texas on July 8 as a category 1 hurricane, resulted in water damage to portions of the nondenominational chapel’s ceiling, several walls, and three murals. Houston-based Whitten & Proctor Fine Art Conservation is overseeing the restoration of the paintings; chapel officials have not yet released an estimate of the cost and time required to make repairs.

“We are deeply saddened by the impact of the hurricane on the Chapel and across Houston,” said executive director David Leslie in a statement. “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 that the necessary repairs and restorations can be made as effectively and completely as required. 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.”

The Rothko Chapel was commissioned in 1964 by collectors John and Dominique de Menil, who gave the artist creative license in the structure’s design. He butted heads with architect Philip Johnson, who was originally hired for the project, and then worked with Johnson’s successors, Howard Barnstone and Eugene Aubry, before committing suicide in 1970. The chapel opened in 1971 and underwent renovations in 2000 and in 2019–21. The first restoration included that of the paintings, while the second involved the replacement of a baffled skylight with a louvered skylight as well as the construction of a new visitor’s center. The chapel is currently in the middle of a major campus development project, which is expected to be completed in 2026.