1938 – 1973

Robert Smithson

American sculptor and conceptual artist (1938-1973)

art theoristland artistdraftspersonconceptual artistvisual artist
Born
1938-01-02, Passaic
Died
1973-07-20
Birthplace state
New Jersey

Biography

Robert Smithson was born in Passaic, New Jersey on January 2, 1938, and died on July 20, 1973. He worked as a sculptor, land artist, and visual artist, employing drawing and photography in his spatial work. His art was exhibited internationally in galleries and museums and acquired by public collections. He created the Spiral Jetty in 1970.

Occupation

Robert Smithson is recorded as a art theorist, a land artist, a draftsperson, a conceptual artist, a visual artist, a architectural drafter, a sculptor, a painter, a geologist and a photographer, born in New Jersey (1938–1973).

Connections to New Jersey

Robert Smithson was born in Passaic, New Jersey in 1938. Explore other notable figures from New Jersey, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Robert Smithson came from Passaic. A full Aubrey report on Passaic pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Robert Smithson

Who was Robert Smithson?
Robert Smithson was American sculptor and conceptual artist (1938-1973), born in New Jersey (1938 – 1973).
When and where was Robert Smithson born?
Robert Smithson was born on 1938-01-02 in Passaic.
When did Robert Smithson die?
Robert died on 1973-07-20.
What was Robert Smithson known for?
Robert Smithson is recorded as a art theorist, a land artist, a draftsperson, a conceptual artist, a visual artist, a architectural drafter, a sculptor, a painter, a geologist and a photographer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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