“The space, which features fourteen dark paintings by Rothko, is famous for being dim and moody. It’s a sensory deprivation chamber that also functions as a theological deprivation chamber.” For its “devotees,” it’s “a space that seems sacred for a post-religious world” and can induce truly spiritual experiences. Others, well, disagree: one artist called it “a place where art and life and imagination go to die” and one critic who loved Rothko’s work called it “at worst a well-designed crematorium.” But the artist committed suicide well before construction in Houston was complete, and it has never looked as he imagined it — until now, say those who’ve just spent $30 million fixing the place. – Texas Monthly