Robert Smithson, Land Art, and Speculative Realities

This book explores Robert Smithson's art as a means to warp the contours of reality and loosen the boundaries of being human, particularly in light of the Anthropocene's catastrophes. It traces the web of correspondences between Smithson and science fictional, speculative, and mystical modes of thought, and considers the possibility of being other-than-human.

Format: Hardback
Length: 170 pages
Publication date: 23 October 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the profound ways in which Robert Smithson's art unveiled and challenged the very foundations of rational reality, paving the way for entirely speculative alternatives to emerge. In this unique approach, Smithson's art is seen as a genuine form of fiction, effectively dismantling the false realities that surround us. Through a meticulous exploration of the intricate web of correspondences between Smithson and various modes of thought, including science fiction, speculative philosophy, and mystical ideologies, Rory ODea uncovers the aesthetic encounters sparked by Smithson's art as a means to distort the contours of reality and expand the boundaries of human existence. Given the pressing and imminent threats posed by the Anthropocene, the ever-growing planetary shadow cast by humanism, the possibility of being other-than-human proposed by Smithson's art takes on an urgent significance. This book will captivate scholars engaged in the fields of art history, contemporary art, American studies, and environmental humanities, offering a rich and thought-provoking exploration of Smithson's visionary artistic legacy.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032272801