Robert Smithson

Robert Smithson 1938-73, American sculptor, b. Passaic, N.J. After first making modular, serial sculpture, Smithson began to design large-scale earthworks (see land art ) in the 1960s. Smithson reshaped the landscape in a way that recalled both the forces of nature and ancient archaeological sites. His major works in this mode include the Spiral Jetty (1970; Great Salt Lake, Utah) and Broken Circle and Spiral Hill (both 1971; in a quarry in Holland). His work is represented in the Whitney Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Smithson died in an airplane crash while overseeing one of his earthworks.

Bibliography: See Robert Smithson: The Collected Writings (1996, ed. by J. Flam); Robert Smithson (2004), comprehensive retrospective ed. by E. Tsai; studies by R. C. Hobbs (1981 and 1983), E. Tsai (1991), G. Shapiro (1995), A. Reynolds (2003), R. Graziani (2004), and J. L. Roberts (2004).

Smithson, Robert (b Passaic, NJ, 2 Jan. 1938; d Amarillo, Tex., 20 July 1973). American sculptor and experimental artist. In the 1960s his work belonged mainly to the category of Minimal art; he was interested in mathematical impersonality and as well as making blocklike steel sculptures he experimented with reflections and mirror images. From the late 1960s he turned to Conceptual art; he expressed his ideas mainly through Land art and became the best-known artist working in this field. In 1968 he began a series of ‘Sites’ and ‘Non-Sites’. The latter consisted of photographs and plans of locations he had visited (particularly derelict urban or industrial sites) displayed with specimens of rock or geological refuse he had gathered there, arranged into random heaps or in metal or wood bins: ‘Instead of putting a work of art on some land, some land is put into the work of art.’ Smithson then moved on to large-scale earthworks, the best known of which is the enormous Spiral Jetty (1970), a spiral road running out into Great Salt Lake, Utah (it has periodically become submerged and then reappeared with changing water levels). He was killed in a plane crash when he was surveying a work in progress, Amarillo Ramp, in Texas. Smithson wrote many articles expounding his views on art: The Writings of Robert Smithson, edited by Nancy Holt (his widow), was published in 1979.

Smithson, Robert (1938–73). American sculptor and experimental artist. In the 1960s his work belonged mainly to the category of Minimal art; he was interested in mathematical impersonality and as well as making block-like steel sculptures he experimented with reflections and mirror images. From the late 1960s he turned to Conceptual art; he expressed his ideas mainly through Land art and became the best-known artist working in this field. In 1968 he began a series of ‘Sites’ and ‘Non-Sites’. The latter consisted of photographs and plans of locations he had visited (particularly derelict urban or industrial sites) displayed with specimens of rock or geological refuse he had gathered there, arranged into random heaps or in metal or wood bins: ‘Instead of putting a work of art on some land, some land is put into the work of art.’ Smithson then moved on to large-scale earthworks, the best known of which is the enormous Spiral Jetty (1970), a spiral road running out into Great Salt Lake, Utah (it has periodically become submerged and then reappeared with changing water levels). He was killed in a plane crash when he was surveying a work in progress, Amarillo Ramp in Texas. Smithson wrote many articles expounding his views on art: The Writings of Robert Smithson, edited by Nancy Holt (his widow), was published in 1979.