ID: 700000079 Page link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/cona/700000079	Record Type: Built Work

Spiral Jetty (earthwork (sculpture); Robert Smithson (American, 1938-1973); April 1970; Great Salt Lake (Utah, United States, North and Central Amer...)

Note: The Spiral Jetty is a counterclockwise coil of mud, salt crystals, and rocks, which were hauled in by truck, but were indigenous elements of the landscape at Great Salt Lake. While clockwise spirals were powerful positive forces, the artist equated this counterclockwise spiral with destruction and entropy, drawing upon symbolism from many cultures. It is best visible when the lake is low, typically during the autumn months.

Titles:

Spiral Jetty (preferred,C,U,undetermined,U,U)

Catalog Level: item

Work Types:

earthwork (sculpture) [300047857] (preferred)

..... (Objects Facet, Visual and Verbal Communication (hierarchy name), Visual Works (hierarchy name), visual works (works), <visual works by material or technique>, environmental art)

Classifications:

Modern art (preferred)

environmental art

Creation Date: April 1970

Creator Display:

Robert Smithson (American, 1938-1973) [preferred,VP]

conceptual artist Smithson, Robert (American sculptor and conceptual artist, 1938-1973) [500015753]

Locations:

Current: Creation: Great Salt Lake [7021126] (Geographic)

Display Materials: mud, precipitated salt crystals, black basalt and limestone, rocks, water

	mud [300014337]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by composition>, combination inorganic/organic material, soil, <soil by composition or origin>)

	basalt (basic igneous rock) [300011222]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by composition>, inorganic material, rock (inorganic material), igneous rock, <igneous rock by composition>, <igneous rock by composition: chemical>, basic igneous rock)

	limestone [300011286]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by composition>, inorganic material, rock (inorganic material), sedimentary rock, <sedimentary rock by composition>, carbonate rock)

	water (inorganic material) [300011772]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by composition>, inorganic material)

	salt (inorganic material) [300183627]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by composition>, inorganic material)

Dimensions: coil: 457.2 m (length) (1500 feet), 4.57 m (width) (15 feet)

General Subject:

nonrepresentational art (preferred)

structures (isness)

Specific Subjects:

	scrolls (motifs) [300010094]
	.....(Physical Attributes Facet, Design Elements (hierarchy name), design elements (attributes), motifs) (AAT)

	entropy [300056015]
	.....(Associated Concepts Facet, Associated Concepts (hierarchy name), scientific concepts, physical sciences concepts, physics concepts, mechanics concepts, dynamics (mechanics concept)) (AAT)

	destruction (process) [300053087]
	.....(Activities Facet, Processes and Techniques (hierarchy name), <processes and techniques by specific type>) (AAT)

List/Hierarchical Position:

..... Built Works

.......... Built Works by class: monuments and monumental structures

Sources and Contributors:
Spiral Jetty	........ [VP]
	........ CDWA online (1995-) accessed 20 October 2010

Subject: ....... [VP]

Note:
English	..... [VP]
	..... CDWA online (1995-) accessed 20 October 2010