The Smithson Effect May 21, 2011

'The Smithson Effect' aims to narrate a widely recognized, yet little discussed story: that of Robert Smithson's pervasive presence in contemporary art since the 1990s. While he remains best known for his pioneering earthworks, such as Spiral Jetty in Utah's Great Salt Lake, Smithson's influence extends far beyond his innovative use of earth as a medium. The artist's significance for contemporary artists depends on the complex relationships between the varied mediums in which he worked and the matrix of meanings generated by his rethinking of the relationship between process and the studio, between objects and exhibition, between site and non-site. Surveying a broad spectrum of international artists and artist collaboratives, 'The Smithson Effect' explores questions surrounding the conventions of studio practice, experimental geography,1960s social activism, and the recovery of site-oriented practices.