Students can take a trip this weekend to Spiral Jetty, where art and science converge.
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) and the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College have organized this community meet-up for Saturday. Attendees will observe the landscape, analyzing the environment of the Great Salt Lake and exploring the idea behind land art.
Robert Smithson constructed Spiral Jetty, the twisted leg of salt-encrusted balsamic rocks jutting out 1,500 feet from Rozel Point, in 1970. It’s considered a monumental piece of land art — a form of expression that links nature and the creative mind. The genre reached its peak of popularity in the late ’60s and early ’70s as an attempt to upheave the commercialization that land artists believed was bogging down originality and independent voices in the art world.
Smithson designed his projects, specifically, to demonstrate the relationship between a location and the people interacting with it.
“The most intriguing part about the Spiral Jetty is that it is right in our backyard,” said Vreni Romang, a senior in communication.
Spiral Jetty wasn’t made just to be observed, but also for visitors to traverse. In a film made to accompany the piece, the artist can be seen running along the path shouting “mud, salt crystals, rocks, water.” You can watch the video here:
Smithson selected Rozel Point, located on the northern shore of the Great Salt Lake, for its unique biological and geological characteristics. When the lake is low, it takes on a pinkish hue that makes it appear as though the sun is setting in the lake. The coloration is caused by non-harmful bacteria.
“I would much rather visit the Spiral Jetty than an art museum. I love that it’s outdoors,” said Jake Baesler, a sophomore studying elementary education.
The U’s event runs on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Families, teachers and students are all invited to participate at no cost. Those interested in attending must provide their own ride. Directions to the Spiral Jetty are available online at umfa.utah.edu/spiraljettydirections.
“People have a politically tinged image of Utah, but the Spiral Jetty speaks to how Utah really is,” Romang said. “We’re all in this together, nature and people coinciding.”
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