REFRAMING THE LANDSCAPE: ROBERT SMITHSON'S SPIRAL JETTY

This thesis project recognizes Robert Smithson’s contribution to the fields of art and landscape architecture with a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for Spiral Jetty. The nomination was completed with support from the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, Dia Art Foundation, and Holt/Smithson Foundation. Spiral Jetty is considered a highly influential work of the Land art genre. At Rozel Point Smithson constructed a 1,500-foot-long and 15-foot-wide earthwork of site-sourced basalt rock and soil. It extends from the shore approximately 600 feet before collapsing twice in a counterclockwise spiral. Smithson carefully selected the site where the earthwork would be in conversation with its environment, the appearance fluctuating as conditions around it changed. The unique post-industrial setting, in a desolate area, provided an exceptional place for Smithson to explore concepts of scale, time and entropy. Spiral Jetty has inspired generations of artists and landscape architects.