Why did Robert Smithson make the Spiral Jetty?



Smithson wanted to reconnect with the environment – hence works like Spiral Jetty, which also reflected his interest in science and geology. To create the 457 metre long spiral, Smithson bulldozed material from the shore into the lake.

What is the purpose of Spiral Jetty?

Spiral Jetty serves as a site from which to view the surroundings—the prehistoric environment that Smithson selected for it. 1 Robert Smithson, “Conversation in Salt Lake City (1972),” in Robert Smithson: Collected Writings, ed.

Why did Robert create the Spiral Jetty?

Therefore, the shape of Spiral Jetty was inspired by one of the most ancient symbols of art, which was an emblem of energy unfolding over some time, which the artists himself said comes from nowhere and goes nowhere in the lake.

What was the artist trying to convey through Spiral Jetty?





Among the wonderful works of Land Art, Robert Smithson stands out with his work Spiral Jetty, the result of an ecological art and bearer of a message of recycling and safeguarding the natural environment.

What is the most important meaning of artwork?

According to the author, the most important meaning of an artwork is: what it means to the viewer.

What is Robert Smithson’s earthwork Spiral Jetty?

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. Made of black basalt rocks and earth gathered from the site, Spiral Jetty is a 15-foot-wide coil that stretches more than 1,500 feet into the lake.

What is painting with dots called?

pointillism, also called divisionism and chromo-luminarism, in painting, the practice of applying small strokes or dots of colour to a surface so that from a distance they visually blend together.



What does Spiral Jetty look like today?



The artwork was concealed for roughly three decades until 1999, when the water began to recede and retract. Today, because of a decade-long super drought, Spiral Jetty remains exposed and the lakebed around it is dry, with the exception of a few pools.

What are the 7 elements of art?

ELEMENTS OF ART: The visual components of color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value.

How do you do Pointillism for kids?


Quote from video: So i start drawing the stem with my points i grab my great green and start putting dots that will form a line and that line will be the stem of my flower. And then i'm starting to draw the leaves.

Who invented stippling?

Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty (video)



How was the Spiral Jetty constructed?

The sculpture is built of mud, precipitated salt crystals, and basalt rocks. It forms a 1,500-foot-long (460 m), 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) counterclockwise coil originally jutting from the shore of the lake, though due to the drying of the lake, as of 2022 a mile of lakebed separates Spiral Jetty from the shore.

How long did it take to make the Spiral Jetty?

six days

Constructed over the period of six days in 1970 with the assistance of local crews, the Spiral Jetty is composed of more than 6,000 tons of black basalt rock and earth.

What does the Spiral Jetty look like today?

The artwork was concealed for roughly three decades until 1999, when the water began to recede and retract. Today, because of a decade-long super drought, Spiral Jetty remains exposed and the lakebed around it is dry, with the exception of a few pools.



Can I take my dog to Spiral Jetty?

The only thing there is a small parking area and an information sign about Spiral Jetty. Bringing pets is questionable. The rocks leading down to Spiral Jetty are steep. Small dogs would especially have a hard time navigating the trail down.

How long was Spiral Jetty under water?

Spiral Jetty is only visible when the water level is below about 4195 feet. It was submerged soon after its creation and stayed underwater for 30 years. Due to drought, it has been dry since 2002.

Is the Great Salt Lake drying up?

Utah’s iconic Great Salt Lake hit record low levels this month in the midst of a 20-year drought. Since 1987, the lake has lost about 75 percent of its water — and it’s expected to continue evaporating.

Can Great Salt Lake be saved?

While 1/3 of the lake’s microbialite structures are now dried out and dead, many more still survive underwater and it’s not too late to save them or our Great Salt Lake.

Can you eat salt from the Great Salt Lake?

You can, yes. Historically salt was mined from there and used for food. Natives and early settlers would have used the salt for food preservation. These days most of the salt mined on the Flats is mined for Magnesium , the salt by-product is used as road salt for winter driving.



Can I swim in the Great Salt Lake?

Swimming and sunbathing are popular on the clean, white sand beaches at Antelope Island State Park. The salinity of the water averages about 12%, making it much saltier than the ocean. The water is so buoyant that people can easily float. Freshwater showers are available to rinse off after swimming.

Which is saltier Dead Sea or Great Salt Lake?

The Dead Sea has a salinity of 34 percent; the Great Salt Lake varies between 5 and 27 percent. Earth’s oceans have an average salinity of 3.5 percent.

Why does Great Salt Lake smell?

The heavy brine traps organic material (i.e., algae and plant and animal remains) and gases at the bottom of the lake. When the bottom of the lake gets stirred up, lots of bubbles rise to the surface. The bubbles release the gas that forms from the decaying organic matter, and this gas smells anything but pleasant.



Why are there no boats on the Great Salt Lake?

On Aug. 3, 2022, the last of the boats at the Great Salt Lake Marina were removed due to dropping water levels.

Are there sharks in Salt Lake?

Are There Sharks in the Lake? There have been many rumors of sharks in the Great Salt Lake. There have also been rumors of an old sea captain capturing whales and transporting them from the ocean to the lake. However, no one has proven these claims.

Will a car float in the Great Salt Lake?

As long as the density and salinity is high enough, you can float in any large body of salt water.