APAH Journal: Spiral Jetty
Spiral Jetty, Robert Smithson
(1970)
In 1970, Robert Smithson directed the
construction of a spiral jetty, a 1500-foot stone
projection into the Great Salt Lake. Almost all
books on modern art include this work, an
example of art called earthworks and an
example of site specific art.
Why is this considered a work of art? Analyze
this work first, then read in your textbook
about it.
In the mid-3rd millennium BC, the Egyptian
pharaohs built a series of pyramids on the
western side of the Nile River at Gizeh (Giza).
These towering constructions of limestone, the
tallest structures in the ancient world,
dominated the landscape.
Are the pyramids examples of site specific art
and earthworks or not? Explain your thinking
to justify your answer.