Things That I'm Into: Robert Smithson

A girl (woman? girl.) in my college senior art history seminar wrote her thesis on Robert Smithson's spiral jetty and its relation to science fiction. She was pretty much the coolest.  Since then I've always associated Robert Smithson with super cool people, and just thought that maybe if I knew just a little bit more about spiral jetty then I could be one of those cool people. Clearly that isn't true, but, um, it doesn't hurt to try.

Spiral Jetty is a large, land-based installation piece in UTAH* that was constructed in 1970. It was submerged for decades after the lake rose, but it's visible again because of a drought that has been occurring the last couple years.

I've wanted to see the 32 minute "making of spiral jetty" movie for a while, and it's part of the "Earthworks" exhibit at the MCA right now.** And since Tuesday is FREE DAY I went to check it out.

Here are some excerpts:

The movie is slow moving, but still really interesting. My favorite part is when Smithson runs to the center of the Jetty and you get the sense of the movement of the installation. I'd love to see the piece in person someday. Anyone want to go on a Utah land art roadtrip?

Images from here, here.

* Also known as the best state in the union after Oregon.

** Museum of Contemporary Art, for you non-chicagoers.