An art centre devoted to the late American abstract painter Mark Rothko (right), born Markus Yakovlevich Rothkowitz in 1903, is due to open next year in a converted fortress in the artist’s birthplace, Daugavpils (formerly Dvina) in southeastern Latvia, once part of Russia. His children have promised five or six works by the abstract artist, the centre’s director, Aleksejs Burunovs, told the Latvian media in June. It is hoped that the $5m centre will attract international tourists to Latvia’s second city. Meanwhile, the city’s museum is displaying high-quality reproductions of the artist’s work. The cost of buying original Rothkos would have been the equivalent of “our city’s entire annual budget”, Burunovs said.
Originally appeared in The Art Newspaper as 'Rothko art centre'
