Alana DeLucia

AP Art History

Fallingwater and Spiral Jetty

Spiral Jetty and Fallingwater

These two works both consider how man interacts with the natural world. Whether it be

by building around an existing area or integrating the work into nature, they both do so

successfully.

Construction on Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright began in 1935 and ceased in 1938,

the house is comprised of native sandstone and other natural materials and has a square footage

of 5,330 feet. It resides about 90 miles away from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, resting above a

mountain cataract on a hillside in the forest. Originally designed as a weekend home for the

Kauffmann family. Wright had a concept in mind when he designed this home: “organic

architecture”, this concept stems from his Transcendentalist background and the mantra that

human life is one with nature. Incorporating a rock outcropping that projected above the living

room into the massive central heart to even further unite the home with the earth. Wright gave

the house cantilevered ledges that collaborated incredibly well with the rock stara of the stream

banks; he was not chy when it came to using glass, the house has no walls facing the falls. His

ability to create “corner turning windows” without the use of mulions reflects his creative ability

and causes corners to vanish. He builds around the nature, even considering the tall trees to

which he bent trellis beams so they would not interfere. From practically every location in the

home the falls can be heard, allowing man to realize and appreciate the beauty of nature an dfeel
even more connected with it. Photos do not do it justice, being able to be there will truly give the

full experience.

The Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson is what is known as an earthwork. Created in 1970

with the use of basalt stones, sand, and soil, lies a 1500 ft x 15 ft giant spiral at edge of the Great

Salt Lake in Utah. The spiral shape allows a multitude of opportunities for the land and water to

meet one another, Smithson wanted to cause little disruption of the natural environment when he

installed this work; the spiral shape also reflects a shape that appears quite often in nature—

shells, leaves, etc. He was especially keen on the idea of entropy, the spiral of forces from order

to disorder and eventually chaos-- breaking down—highlighting the gradual decay of this work

overtime by the influences of nature. There was an idea formulated that the Great Salt Lake

contained a whirlpool that led to the pacific Ocean, perhaps Smithson wanted to showcase this

theory. In 1970, the first earth day commenced, and people started becoming more aware of

environmental issues and concerns, Spiral Jetty in a way shows how man can interact with the

environment in a positive way. The passage of time is truly evident throughout Spiral Jetty, the

erosion and movement can be seen through frequent documentation, allowing nature to have her

way with it because the work was not meant to be preserved. The vast and empty space that

surrounds the work is comparable to the expansion of the US towards the west when the

Industrial Revolution took way. When you visit Spiral Jetty and walk along it, the soft sounds of

the wind and water can be heard, connecting the viewer to the beauty of nature and its immense

power.

While both of these works make use of the environment and natural world in different

ways, they both highlight one important quality: the harmonious union of art and nature.

Fallingwater essentially highlights the glorious falls and skylines and earth forms around it,
while incorporating pieces of nature into it. Fallingwater also allows for immersion into nature,

the sounds that can be heard, the seamless windows and the cantilevered ledges make the

landscape even more beautiful then it was prior to construction. Spiral Jetty utilizes the forces of

nature to influence the viewer and the work. It is not a beautiful piece of architecture and it is not

meant to house anybody, but it still immerses the viewer into nature and demonstrates the

importance of nature and how living harmoniously with her is possible.