Referencing my much downvoted comment currently at bottom, Rothko (I had to look him up) is a prime example of exactly what I'm talking about.
Quite possibly I just don't get it. But what I suspect is something along the lines of wine snobbery. The experts all agree. Even if it really tastes like paint thinner. No one wants to appear undiscerning or unenlightened. To me, this is not art at all. Not beautiful, not enlightening, not interesting and serves no functional purpose with the possible exception of giving art folks something to talk about. The first person who thought of using fire. Now THAT is an artist.