Spiral Jetty
Talin Kraft
This spring break we went to ski in Utah, and I took the opportunity to drive up to the Spiral Jetty.
Spiral Jetty was built by Robert Smithson, one of the pioneers of land art ― his sculptures are built with the elements of nature (rocks, soil, vegetation, water), they are part of the landscape. The land art is the essence of anti-commercial movement, rejecting an art gallery or a museum settings, often not easily accessible and free to visit. The entrance fee is charged in Time and Effort rather than in money, and it's very refreshing.
The Spiral is a perfect example ― it's in a very remote location, about 2 hours drive from Salt Lake City, part of the drive is through the desert, last 15 miles or so are unpaved. At first, I was not very happy with this ― why couldn't they build it closer? But on my way there I understood ― this desert was actually part of the installation. The whole trip there, through the desert and unpaved roads, adds to the experience, especially if you are driving alone. There's wilderness ― just rocks, sand, dry grass and desert bushes, it's absolutely meditative. You are transported into a different world ― you get to decide if it's primitive or natural, hostile or magical. There are wild animals. There are no people, no buildings, no gas stations, no food, no water, no internet, not even a Starbucks!
And the Spiral Jetty itself, even though it's man-made, is still very much a part of nature. Every time it's different ― sometimes it's covered with snow, sometimes it's fully submerged, sometimes the water turns pink. It was a drought when I was there, so the Spiral was fully on shore.
Just three years after he built the Spiral Jetty, Robert Smithson died in a plane crash, while surveying sites for his next land work. He was 35 years old.