Robert Smithson’s iconic land artwork, the Spiral Jetty, has recently been added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. Created in 1970 on Utah’s Great Salt Lake, the Spiral Jetty is a large-scale swirl made out of 6,000 tons of local black basalt rock. This unique art piece, stretching 1,500 feet long and curving counterclockwise into a spiral shape, has become one of the most famous works of land art in the world.
The Dia Art Foundation, which acquired the Spiral Jetty in 1999 from Nancy Holt, Smithson’s widow, is dedicated to preserving and advocating for this iconic artwork. Collaborating with the Great Salt Lake Institute, the Holt/Smithson Foundation, and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Dia has worked tirelessly to ensure the long-term preservation of the Spiral Jetty.
Smithson, known for his earthworks, was a pioneer in the conceptual art movement of the 1960s and 70s. His commitment to creating art that collaborates with entropy and embraces the chaos of natural spaces is evident in the Spiral Jetty. Over the years, the artwork has been submerged by the Great Salt Lake and stood far from the lakefront, reflecting the ever-changing landscape around it.
In addition to the Spiral Jetty, Smithson created other significant land artworks such as Broken Circle/Spiral Hill in the Netherlands and Amarillo Ramp in Texas. Despite Smithson’s untimely death in 1973, his legacy lives on through his groundbreaking land art pieces.
The designation of the Spiral Jetty as a nationally registered historic place aims to raise awareness of the artwork and discourage interventions that may negatively impact the environment and the lake’s ecology. As the Spiral Jetty continues to hold significance for people in Utah and beyond, the Dia Art Foundation remains dedicated to caring for and advocating for this beloved artwork to ensure its preservation for future generations.
