If you're around a Rothko, walk up to it until it fills your field of vision and stare at it without blinking. Within several seconds you'll notice it start to move as though it's alive.
I think that you can gain more out of art and, perhaps, a particular artist if you understand their work in context. In this case, understanding what led to Abstract Expressionism and how it influenced artistic development.
One gets the same effect staring at a wall that doesn't have a Rothko hanging on it. Or at a sufficiently large monitor with a static display. Leveraging persistence of vision might make an interesting series, but when it's the only trick the pony can do?
I think that you can gain more out of art and, perhaps, a particular artist if you understand their work in context. In this case, understanding what led to Abstract Expressionism and how it influenced artistic development.