Without a doubt, Robert Smithson is my favorite of all of the “EarthWorks” artists. Currently showing at the Whitney, Smithson is about far more than “Spiral Jetty”. In A Provisional Theory of Non-Sites Smithson creates a theory of indoor site works – playing this against two and three dimensional images that represent a site say in New Jersey but shown in a gallery anywhere (a non-site). It is the understanding of distance and place that can become the metaphor of the work actually subverting (my word) the original intent of the piece. He then finishes this with this small nugget…
“This little theory is tentative and could be abandoned at any time. Theories like things are also abandoned. That theories are eternal is doubtful. Vanished theories compose the strata of many forgotten books.”
I believe that this thought – that theory can be tentative – is a huge leap in thinking about art, frankly I see it as freeing the artist and at the same time not allowing critical thought to be forced down a single path. Just my take, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
