Deseret News | Spiral Jetty is far-out artwork

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Spiral Jetty is far-out artwork

Art? Hmmm | 3:50 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

In South America there are ancient line drawings of birds, monkeys and more that can't be seen but from the air.

There were made by ancient people who had no hope of seeing their art because they didn't have airplanes.

There are actually pretty good line drawings and I would consider them art as well as curiosities.

The spiral jetty art? Perhaps but it is quite simple, and not near what these line drawings in south america are.

Like a Scar or Tattoo | 4:46 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Here we go again. Another Spiral Jetty story. It absolutely drives me mad. Why is it that some eccentric out of state "artiste" millionaire can come out to our State's most notable natural body of water, and inflict his personal artistic graffitti on it, and somehow, it's OK? Somehow, it's art? Well I think it's like graffitti on nature. It's a scarring and totally unnatural. Where is the naturists' outcry? What's next, pour Jackson Pollock paint spatters on the face of the Great White Throne in Zion's National park? I'm sure that would send the artiste group into swoons of ecstasy. It's weird, it's eccentric, and defaces nature. In case you cant' tell, I HATE the Spiral Jetty. I've seen it in person too. I think it's ugly and highly irritating. It's not art. It's a rubble waste pile. Smithson's estate ought to have to pay to have the natural shoreline restored.

billybubba | 7:44 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

to scar or tattoo - why dont you tell us how you really fill

Comments continue below

'Like' a curmudgeon | 8:17 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

The "Spiral Jetty" is tiny and innocuous by Great Salt Lake standards. By "Like a Scar or Tattoo's" measure, however, we should also remove the railroad's huge and hard to maintain Lucin cutoff across the lake (not a bad idea, since it truly does change the lake's nature and function, though I'm sure it's an economic boon), the Antelope Island causeway (please don't; I love going to Antelope, desert island that it is), I-80 at the lake's south end (a million times more traveled and seen than the jetty), the unkempt industrial dirt jetty also at Rozel Point, the HUNDREDS of acres of evaporation ponds distilling minerals from the salt water (and more are being proposed), etc., etc., etc. "Like a Scar" is simply a naysayer and curmudgeon for his own sake, for the "Spiral Jetty" is seen as art by others (perhaps he thinks the much more invasive Mount Rushmore should be restored as well?), or at least a point of interest in an otherwise rarely visited corner of Utah.

Anonymous | 8:39 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

i think it's beautiful... "like a scar or tattoo"- maybe you just don't get it, or perhaps you think the hotel lobby "starving artist" painting sales a la bob ross is high art?

DL | 10:03 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Scarman has a point; creating art upon nature is problematic. Would such a form of art even be permitted today? I would prefer nature in its pristine state than seeing an artist's interpretation and subsequent manipulation of nature. (I even become disgruntled when seeing the amorous etchings perpetrated upon so many vulnerable aspen trees:)
Land art was popular during the 1960s. It was meant as a naturalist response to the artificiality and commercialism of art at that time. So it should be understood that Smithson and his cohorts were well intentioned. (Also remember the value we place upon the pictographs and petroglyphs of Ancestral Puebloans.) It is also worth noting that Smithson used organic material all located within the locale of the Great Salt Lake.
I have been to the Spiral Jetty and found it intriguing, unique and when the environment cedes, stunning. I also hope that in the future, I never again see art presented in such a manner.

Curmudgeon responds | 10:46 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

I fully admit to being a curmudgeon. But that doesn't change the fact that the Spiral Jetty is obnoxious. What makes it art? I'm confident in my own sense of the aesthetic. I'm classically trained musician and appreciate the great masters of painting. Sofa art is not my thing. But neither are tattoos. It may be tiny and innocuous by Salt Lake standards, but so is a Zit on the human face. Some people may look at a zit and think it's interesting, and all, but only a weird minority would say its "art" or "beautiful." But I admit that some people like that will exist. At least it's America where we can agree to disagree. At least, for now.

Anonymous | 11:55 a.m. Sept. 25, 2009

When you hear the term, "high art" you know someone doesn't understand art.

Graduate Thesis Material | 12:48 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

I think Curmudgeon has hit onto something. The Spiral Jetty is emblematic of the cultural divide that separates this country into Red and Blue, Secular Progressives and Traditioanlists. Someone ought to do a Masters or PhD Thesis on this. Land Art is a product of the 1960's, like tie-dye and the drug culture. Those who tend to be hippies, and counter-culture are likely those who "love" the Spiral Jetty. Those who hate, like Curmudgeon, are probably traditionalists who despite the 60's and hippies movement, is probably conservative and a traditionalist. I like it. Spiral Jetty as emblem of the Cultural Divide in America. Someone get to work on it!

Abominous | 3:08 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

The lake would look a lot more natural if the Spiral Jetty was removed and replaced by a Magcorp evaporation pond.

Janet | 3:10 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Few people realize that a spiral is a documented pagan symbol. Although there is some disagreement in scholarly circles, most authorities recognize it as a pagan symbol for death. Is this really the image we want to convey for this state?

? | 4:18 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Another story about the spiral jetty? Didn't the D-news just do this story? Benson is good, but he's not that good to rewrite a story that was just done. Riding a bike their doesn't make it anymore unique.

Doobie | 4:23 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Janet:

If the spiral is a pagan symbol for death I find it quite fitting because the Great Salt Lake is a dead sea. I actually like it more now. Besides, the christmas tree and the easter bunny are both pagan symbols also. Another effect it has is to contrast order with chaos. It symbolizes man's ability to create something out of random objects and turn them into something else, and to impose his will on nature.

Spiral = life | 6:32 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

Janet Janet Janet. The spiral form has MANY meanings, including the eternal nature of life to the Maoris of New Zealand - derived, people believe today, from the unfolding fern. I've never even heard of it representing a pagan belief. Unless you consider the ancient puebloan peoples of today's Four Corners area to be pagan, and one can suppose to at least the conquistadors and their Catholic priests they were "unenlightened" (and heathens.) The pre-Columbian Americans also seemed to use see the spiral as a symbol of life, for the form is everywhere in Southwestern pictographs and petroglyphs, and notably at Chaco Canyon, where one spiral charts the course of the sun (a calendar!) over the course of each year. And as others have pointed out before, Robert Smithson apparently did not intend it to be your "symbol for death."

Fan of the Jetty | 9:15 p.m. Sept. 25, 2009

I think a lot of the criticism of the spiral jetty is overblown. Although it did make for a good read. Complaing about the scar of the Spiral Jetty is like complaing about a scratch on the door of a car that has had the front end wrecked in. The Spiral Jetty is one of the less obtrusive things at Rozelle Point let alone on the Great Salt Lake. All around are the remnants of things more obtrusive, the road, wrecked cars and trailers, oil derricks, and the foundations of buildings long gone.

As with most things in the outdoors it is all about the location. On the one side there is the left over debris of industry, on the other side pristine shore line. In the middle is one man's art. To tell the truth it is interesting to see both the industrial waste and the natural beauty, and both have their unique beauty. The Spiral Jetty fits nicely between them. By itself the Jetty is a bit underwhelming. It is hardly anything to get worked up over. It's beauty is in where, and in between what it sits.

mrd00d | 6:29 a.m. Sept. 26, 2009

from some of these comments you'd think the guy made a giant bird finger out of black rocks...also, it's in a place that is sometimes covered by the water...those who think it's a scar on natures face get to be happy when the water covers it...look everyone can be happy now! the guy who made it was trying to make sure everyone could be happy about it...what other way could it be 'seen' but 'not seen' without anyone having to change anything? how about 'metaphor' does that tick people off too? geez people...it attracts people TO the great salt lake to check it out...get over it.

Thank YOU | 5:05 p.m. Sept. 26, 2009

Thank you to Lee Benson and especially to Ray Boren for giving us something lovely to look at and think about!
Unlike our friendly "curmudgeon" I am happy to get a break from the depressing news of the day or of the economy!
As for Robert Smithson - again Thank You for adding something of beauty to the already scared face of our lake.
It is amazing to me how much divisiveness there is in this state - even about something as simple as a spiral!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - or not!
"Curmudgeon" and his ilk seem to bring nothing but gripes and grumpiness to the world - so sad!
Nice work fellows!
(and especially for all your determination Ray - PO)

Barbara | 8:24 a.m. Sept. 28, 2009

People are starving and this piece already has 17 comments or so. Let us take our 200 word allotment, turn each word into cash and help some needy person.

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