Robert Smithson

ABOUT THE ARITST

Robert Smithson (1938–1973) was an American artist best known for pioneering Land Art, a movement that brought sculpture beyond traditional galleries into natural environments. He frequently worked with earth, rock, water, and industrial materials, exploring geological processes, entropy, and the passage of time. His best-known work, Spiral Jetty (1970), is a monumental coil of rock and earth extending into Utah’s Great Salt Lake, whose visibility changes with water levels. Smithson also produced sculptures, drawings, photographs, and written essays examining the relationship between art, architecture, and landscape. His concept of the non-site connected materials gathered from remote locations with their presentation in galleries. His career was cut short when he died in a plane crash at age 35 while surveying a proposed earthwork in Texas.

PROJECTS:

SPIRAL JETTY

Corinne, UT - United States

ADDRESS:

Corinne, UT 84307

WEBSITE

DISCRIPTION:

Spiral Jetty (1970) is a monumental earthwork by American artist Robert Smithson, located on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Constructed from approximately 6,000 tons of black basalt rock and earth, the sculpture extends 1,500 feet into the lake, forming a counterclockwise spiral. Smithson selected the remote site for its unusual geological features and reddish water, influenced by microorganisms and salt content. The work is closely associated with Land Art, challenging traditional ideas of sculpture by using the natural landscape as both material and setting. Its appearance changes with fluctuations in the lake’s water level, sometimes becoming submerged and later reemerging. Spiral Jetty is now maintained by the Dia Art Foundation and remains a landmark of contemporary American art.

ACCESS:

FREE: No special access is required

NOTES:

It is FREE to visit year round. Keep in mind accessing the site requires a long drive down a remote dirt road, please plan accordingly. Respect the land and leave no trace.