Spiral Jetty

The Spiral Jetty is an impermanent art piece that forever changes with the environment around it. The 1500 foot black basalt spiral is a part of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, challenging traditional forms of art exhibitions by existing with the natural world.

The Spiral Jetty forms a counterclockwise spiral made from the earth, representing the spinning sensation Smithson felt while looking at the landscape. It has an irregular and rough texture that contrasts with the smooth surface of the surrounding water and organic environment, emphasizing its human design. Robert Smithson was fascinated by the processes of erosion leading him to place his artwork in this space, which is where the significance of this piece lies. As water levels rise and fall in the great lake, the spiral appears and disappears, ever changing as it erodes with the tides. 

This innovative creation allows audiences to see the relationship between design and the environment, highlighting the ever-changing nature of our world. Visual communication doesn’t exist within a set of existing rules; it’s shaped by how we engage with the living world to convey our ideas. The way the Spiral Jetty’s coexistence with the Great Salt Lake demonstrates how design can exist with the natural world, evolving and adapting.