Houston's renowned Rothko Chapel is set to reopen to the public next Tuesday, after sustaining significant damage from Hurricane Beryl. According to KHOU, the chapel's hours will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the exception of December 25 and January 1 when doors will open at noon.
Originally designed as a center for art, spirituality, and community engagement, the non-profit sanctuary had to swiftly adjust in order to keep serving the public after the storm. "Hurricane Beryl brought exceptionally heavy rain and gale-force winds that resulted in leakage through the Chapel’s roof," the Rothko Chapel detailed in a Facebook post, prompting an intense restoration effort. Notably, four of Mark Rothko's panels were affected and are currently undergoing off-site restoration.
The imminent reopening is a culmination of collaborative efforts, guided by the stewardship of Whitten & Proctor Fine Art Conservation, as reported by CultureMap Houston. The chapel's executive director, David Leslie, expressed his excitement about the reopening: "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 stated.
In the wake of the damage caused by Beryl, the Rothko Chapel managed to maintain their engagement with the community, hosting fall programs at off-site locations. The much-anticipated MLK Observance, themed "Sick of War: Discussing Health Impacts of US Militarism," is set to be hosted at the chapel on January 15, 2025. Priorly, the Chapel had announced a $42 million expansion campaign, Opening Spaces, which will add new buildings adjacent to the existing structure, KHOU reported.
