In 1972, smithson made a film about the jetty, also titled spiral jetty, rife with historical images intended to situate the. His famous spiral jetty in the great salt lake in utah, usa, secured his place as one of the pioneer earthworks artists. It is made from local black basalt rock, which can turn white in some places, due to extended exposure to the ebbs and flows of the salty water. To create the 457 metre long spiral, smithson bulldozed material from the shore into the lake. The jetty disappears and reappears depending on lake water levelsdrought years bring it out for all to see. The spiral jetty therefore stands as an ultimate tribute to the regional history of an area that, as an outsider, enthralled smithson. Made of black basalt rocks and earth gathered from the site, spiral jetty is a 15footwide coil. Robert smithson s monumental spiral jetty 1970 is a 1,500footlong coil of earth and basalt that extends into the water from the northern shore of utahs great salt lake. Robert smithson s spiral jetty is the poster child for the antiformalist earth art movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The spirals coil is 1,500 feet long and approximately 15 feet wide. His monumental earthen sculptures such as spiral jetty 1970, were inspired by the minimalist work of his contemporaries, as well as geology, science fiction, and the concept of entropy. Smithson built a masterpiece from local materials, one that spirals counterclockwise into the lake and appears or is submerged with fluctuations in the.
Jun 18, 2014 where the spiral in spiral jetty came fromwhat things inspired ithas always been a kind of riddle for students of smithsons work. The drive takes 40 minutes each way on dirt roads from the golden spike visitor center. Smithson, who was tragically killed in an airplane crash in 1973, never was able to see his spiral jetty as it appears today. The jetty is a sitespecific work, meant to interact with changing conditions of the surrounding water, land, and atmosphere. Other conditions that have been observed over the years include erosion and sand and silt deposits. In september 1970, color photographs of spiral jetty, an earthwork by robert smithson 19381973, appeared in artforum, then the magazine of record in contemporary art. Louise steinman goes in search of artist robert smithsons spiral jetty.
While still attending high school in clifton, new jersey, during the mid 1950s, he attended art classes on the side in new york city. Gianfranco gorgoni holtsmithson foundation i bound out of bed, gianfranco gorgonis seminal photograph of robert smithsons iconic earth work on repeat in my head as i shower and pack for the daylong adventure that will take me to a remote area of utah. Not too long after that it was submerged as the great salt lake rose throughout the 80s. At 1500 feet long and 15 feet wide, smithsons spiral of basalt rocks, mud, and salt crystals juts out from the shore and coils dramatically into luminous red water. Faustroll 1898 while working on the spiral jetty in 1970, which. Nov 18, 2009 an aerial view of robert smithsons spiral jetty in utah, taken by a camera attached to a latex weather balloon from about 800 feet in the air. The northern section of the great salt lake, where smithson chose to site spiral jetty, was cut off from fresh water supplies when a nearby causeway was constructed by the southern pacific railroad in 1959.
Robert smithson s earthwork, spiral jetty 1970, an icon of the land art movement of the 1960s and 1970s, is located on the northern shores of utahs great salt lake. He left his mark with a massive earthwork sculpture on the northeast edge of the great salt lake. Spiral jetty is a portrait of smithson s monumental earthwork of the same name at rozel point in the great salt lake, utah. Robert smithsons earthwork sculpture the spiral jetty was done in 1970. Where the spiral in spiral jetty came fromwhat things inspired ithas always been a kind of riddle for students of smithsons work. The mythic scale of history and labor at spiral jetty. The first stop is spiral jetty in utah near the nevada border, in the salt lake region. The spiral jetty, photographed on september 14, 2014, by tom martinelli. Sep 05, 2005 in 1970 robert smithson 19381973, one of the most innovative and provocative artists of the twentieth century, created the landmark earthwork spiral jetty at rozel point on utahs great salt lake. For two years, he was enrolled at the art students league in new york and, for a briefer period, at the brooklyn museum school. As the great salt lake dries up, spiral jetty may be marooned.
Smithson wanted to reconnect with the environment hence works like spiral jetty, which also reflected his interest in science and geology. The film was shot by smithson and his wife nancy holt, and funded by virgina dawn and douglas christmas. In a 1972 interview, smithson suggests that spiral jetty was intended to both withstand and be intimately involved with the climate changes and natural disturbances of the site, particularly the lakes fluctuating water levels. Januarymarch fridaymonday, 11 am4 pm apriloctober thursdaymonday, 11 am6 pm novemberdecember. Spiral jetty george baker, bob phillips, ann reynolds, lytle. In 1970 robert smithson 19381973, one of the most innovative and provocative artists of the twentieth century, created the landmark earthwork spiral jetty at rozel point on utahs great salt lake. Now with its reappearance, this book is especially timely, historical and memorable. See more ideas about robert smithson, land art and spiral. The monumental earthwork spiral jetty 1970 was created by artist robert smithson and is located off rozel point in the north arm of great salt lake. Robert smithsons earthwork, spiral jetty 1970, an icon of the land art movement of the 1960s. It is a manmade, artistic creation but unlike most gallery art, it lies horizontal and dwarfs the human. For six days in april 1970, smithson contracted with a bewildered ogden, utah, trucking company to transport 6,550 tons of dirt and black basalt to rozel point, on the northeastern shore of the.
In 1970 he created spiral jetty, a snaillike coil of heaped stones that extends far out into the great salt lake in. Robert smithson, spiral jetty 1970 i asked kelly kivland, a curator at dia art foundation, which owns spiral jetty, what this means for the artists vision. In crafting an earthwork that will inevitably change with the land, smithson hoped to inspire others to experience the artwork for themselves, and in doing so, to learn to appreciate pockets of untamed landscape. Nov 18, 2015 robert smithson is one of the most enigmatic artists of the late 20th century. A coil of earth, salt, and stone that smithson built into great salt lake, utah, the piece is a tribute to the movements scale and engineering as well as to its visionary union of art and nature. This spiral mound of earth and boulders stretches about 457 meters into the lake and is about 4. While located in a relatively barren, unpopulated place, smithson chose the site not only because of the vast surrounding landscape, but with reference to nearby.
Spiral jetty, robert smithsons land art masterwork the. Sep 29, 2015 smithsons spiral jetty is a 1,500footlong work created in 1970 during a drought and subsequently was submerged for more than three decades before resurfacing in 2002. Smithson s film spiral jetty was completed later that year, and the third component in this ensemble, an essay also titled the spiral jetty was published in 1972. It is combination of rocks and earth that was hauled by truck from the shore and arranged into the form of a coil in the water off of. Robert smithson is one of the most enigmatic artists of the late 20th century. The site, on the great salt lake shore, is remote, strange, and beautiful. With its beautiful, lakeside setting and the vastness of its scale, its. Entropy and environment at spiral jetty smarthistory. Spiral jetty is an earthwork sculpture constructed in april 1970 that is considered to be the most important work of american sculptor robert smithson. Twenty six years after robert smithsons tragic death in an airplane crash, it is now clear that he is one of the most important postwar artists. Robert smithson, the artist who created spiral jetty, died in 1973, just. There are a few moments of the book, when she lingers on art spiral jetta is about art, land art. Its 15 feet wide and coils for 1,500 feet near the lake edge. Robert smithsons spiral jetty faces drought artnet news.
Robert smithson, spiral jetty, 1970, rozel point, great salt lake, utah, 1500 if unwound x 15 foot spiral of basalt, sand, and soil, holtsmithson foundation. Whoever takes the book in hand will be motivated to go visit the spiral jetty. It is saltencrusted and mysterious and very much in keeping with smithsons own sentiments, as when, in 1972, he wrote, i like landscapes that suggest prehistory. Spiral jetty, robert smithson the monumental earthwork spiral jetty 1970 was created by artist robert smithson and is located off rozel point in the north arm of great salt lake. Later that year, artforum featured another monumental work, robert smithsons spiral jetty, an immobile cyclone of boulders jutting out from a desolate coast of utahs great salt lake. Finding it, i would only lose it again, leaving it there in the desert desolation where. Philip ursprung, author of allan kaprow, robert smithson, and the limits to art.
This dramatic and highly influential work forms a coil 1,500 feet long and 15 feet wide and stretches out counterclockwise into the lakes. In 1970 during the construction of the jetty, robert smithson wrote and directed a 32minute color film, spiral jetty. To get there from salt lake city take i15 north approximately 65 miles to the corinne exit exit 365, just west of. The spiral jetty, considered to be the central work of american sculptor robert smithson, is an earthwork sculpture constructed in 1970 built entirely of mud, salt crystals, basalt rocks, earth, and water on the northeastern shore of the great salt lake near rozel point in utah, it forms a 1,500footlong 460 m, 15footwide 4. The source of robert smithsons spiral the new yorker. This comprehensive publication considers smithsons. Spiral jetty 1970 smithson most celebrated work is the spiral jetty which was constructed on the shores of the great salt lake in utah in 1970.
Exploring robert smithson s earthwork through time and place. Spiral jetty 1970 is an earthwork in the form of a 1,500footlong 460 m, 15footwide 4. Robert smithson s earthwork spiral jetty 1970 is located at rozel point peninsula on the northeastern shore of great salt lake. Using over six thousand tons of black basalt rocks and earth from the site, smithson formed a coil 1,500 feet long and 15 feet wide that winds counterclockwise off the shore into the water.
Robert smithson designed and directed the construction of his iconic work the spiral jetty in april 1970. A low angle look at spiral jetty from in front, just off the north shore of the great salt lake. Sep 18, 2016 robert smithson, spiral jetty, 1970, rozel point, great salt lake, utah, 1500 if unwound x 15 foot spiral of basalt, sand, and soil holtsmithson foundation speakers. Straddling the movements of minimalism and land art, smithson, who died in a plane crash at the age of 35, had a profound impact on the cultural landscape that resonates to this day. Watch more discoveries from salt lake city in a brand new episode on monday, april 10th at 87c on pbs. A loud abrasive buzzing bellows from the nightstand and i raise my head, only to be blinded by. Smithson built a masterpiece from local materials, one that spirals counterclockwise into the lake and appears or is submerged with robert smithsons earthwork, spiral jetty 1970, an icon of the land art movement of the 1960s and 1970s, is located on the northern shores of utahs great salt lake. Massive, remote, and seemingly useless, spiral jetty has the feel of a lost workone so far out of sight as to be out of mind. Robert smithson expressed a profound interest in the arts from an early age. Learning to live on the spiral jetty image journal. Smithson documented the construction of the sculpture in a 32minute color film also titled spiral jetty built on the northeastern shore of the great salt lake near rozel point in utah entirely of mud, salt crystals, and basalt rocks, spiral. Anyone interested in smithson, the artist, filmaker, philosopher and writer will want to read this. In 1970 robert smithson 19381973, one of the most innovative and provocative artists of the twentieth century, created the landmark earthwork spiral jetty at.
This fully illustrated 248page book accompanies the first comprehensive american retrospective of robert smithsons 19381973 complex and highly influential career. In a 1972 interview, smithson suggests that spiral jetty was intended to both withstand and be intimately involved with the climate changes and natural disturbances of the site, particularly the lake. This dramatic and highly influential work forms a coil 1,500 feet long and 15 feet wide and stretches out counterclockwise into the lakes translucent red water. Robert smithson, spiral jetty, 1970 great salt lake, utah photo. Smithson documented the construction of the sculpture in a 32minute color film also titled spiral jetty. Robert smithsons earthwork spiral jetty 1970 is located at rozel point peninsula on the northeastern shore of great salt lake. Completed in april 1970, spiral jetty is an iconic earthwork and smithson s most renowned piece. Robert smithson spiral jetty, 1970 rozel point, great salt lake, utah black basalt rock, salt crystals, earth, and water 1,500 feet long and approximately 15 feet wide robert smithson was born in passaic, new jersey.
Or you could say its about hogans travels, her adventures and a few of her fears. The project held some of the themes an inland sea, an alkaline lake that smithson developed further in spiral jetty. Robert smithson s earthwork sculpture the spiral jetty was done in 1970. Robert smithson robert smithson, eugenie tsai, cornelia. Robert smithsons iconic earthwork spiral jetty 1970 is a 1,500 foot long and 15 foot wide coil of local basalt rock and earth that extends into the red waters of the great salt lake in utah. Completed in april 1970, spiral jetty is an iconic earthwork and smithsons most renowned piece. Robert smithson, spiral jetty, 1970, rozel point, great salt lake, utah, 1500 if unwound x 15 foot spiral of basalt, sand, and soil holtsmithson foundation speakers.
Spiral jetty is a work of art that was created at the north end of the great salt lake by robert smithson in 1970. Nonintervention for the artistic concept anna toptchi spiral jetty is a work conceived and installed by robert smithson in 1970. As if that massive construction were not enough, smithsons project also includes a poemlike essay and an avantgarde short film. Finalist for the utah state historical society best book award. Made of black basalt rocks and earth gathered from the site, spiral jetty is a 15footwide coil that stretches more than 1,500 feet into the lake. Robert smithson, spiral jetty, 1970, rozel point, great salt lake, utah, 1500 if unwound x 15 foot spiral of basalt, sand, and soil, holt smithson foundation. I n july of 2014 i went to find robert smithsons spiral jetty in the utah desert, about two hours by car from salt lake city. Using over six thousand tons of black basalt rocks and earth from the site, smithson formed a coil 1,500 feet long and 15 feet wide that. The salt flats of the great salt lake, around the spiral jetty.
True fictions, false realities by lynne cooke 20050826. The jetty was partially submerged, but visible during my visit. This encouraged the waters unique redviolet coloration, because it produced a concentration of salttolerant bacteria and algae. Explaining smithsons spiral jetty art agenda phaidon. Built on the northeastern shore of the great salt lake near rozel point in utah. In addition to a new introduction by jack flam, the collected writings includes previously unpublished essays by smithson and gathers. In 1999, the estate of robert smithson donated the sculpture to dia art foundation, new york. Robert smithsons spiral jetty in 1970 put the modern earthart movement in high relief. Robert smithson was a seminal american artist and writer known for pioneering the land art movement. Robert smithsons monumental spiral jetty 1970 is a 1,500footlong coil of earth and basalt that extends into the water from the northern shore of utahs great salt lake. Take, for example, robert smithson s spiral jetty 1970 located at rozel point, great salt lake, utah.
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