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Quote by Robert Smithson

“A camera is wild in just about anybody's hands, therefore one must set limits. But cameras have a life of their own. Cameras care nothing about cults or isms. They are indifferent mechanical eyes, ready to devour anything in sight. They are lenses of the unlimited reproduction.”

Quote by Robert Smithson

Work

Robert Smithson, the Collected Writings

This volume gathers the major writings of Robert Smithson, a pioneering figure in the land art movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The collection presents his essays, such as 'The Sedimentation of the Mind: Earth Projects,' along with interviews, proposals, and critical reflections that articulate his conceptual approach to sculpture, site-specificity, and the relationship between art and the natural environment. Smithson's writings often engage with themes of entropy, time, and the industrial landscape, offering a theoretical foundation for his earthworks like the Spiral Jetty. The book serves as a primary source for understanding his artistic philosophy and his influence on contemporary art discourse. more

Author

Robert Smithson
Robert Smithson

Robert Smithson was an American artist known for his land art works. His practice often involved large-scale land transformations and interactions with the natural environment, with iconic pieces such as 'Spiral Jetty' and 'Land Art'. Smithson's art challenged the boundaries of traditional art media and sparked widespread discussions about the relationship between art, nature, and humanity. more

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“Noon-day sunshine cinema-ized the site, turning the bridge and the river into an over-exposed picture. Photographing it with my Instamatic 400 was like photographing a photograph. The sun became a monstrous light-bulb that projected a detached series of stills through my Instamatic into my eye.”