It’s been 53 years since the 1971 opening of the Rothko Chapel in Houston, its walls graced with Mark Rothko’s 14 “black” paintings, works of profound silence and sentience. In a 1966 letter to his patrons, John and Dominique de Menil, Rothko wrote that the chapel commission “is teaching me to extend myself beyond what I thought was possible for me.” To this day, the space is a transcendent sanctuary that welcomes people of all religions and backgrounds. Last July, the chapel was damaged by Hurricane Beryl. After a thorough restoration effort, it is again open for business both spiritual and aesthetic. —Elena Clavarino