Somewhat in light of current issues surrounding the Spiral Jetty, there is, I found, a quite intriguing 1973 Lucy Lippard conversation with Smithson and Holt in the current Art Forum:
[OUT OF THE PAST: A CONVERSATION ON EVA HESSE]
Hesse's interest Beckett, rejection of the sexual bondage inherrent in object & subject relations among minimalists (Lewitt, Judd, Andre) , formalism versus an interest in decay, psychoanalysis, and her shared commitment with Smithson to writing are fascinating. As well as early issues of feminism in relationship to the big boys, including Hesse's Interest in the way an art object made by a woman is manifestation of a mystical penus. Utlimately, unless it's already been done, I suspect the issues raised in this conversaton, will have some bearing on the relationships between minimalism and the rough early relationships between language poetry and feminism (and/or the dismissal of male or female interest in the personal, including biological). Hesse's works. absorption in the organic/biological certainly (often humorously) flew in the face of the serverity of Judd and company.
Anyway, good juice for thought. And, in the spirt of 'all politics are local', please don't forget that guy, Jim Jemmings in Utah to protest the potential of any provision for drilling operations, etc. in the vicinity of the Sprial Jetty. If you need any ideas,here is what I wrote the man:
To:[log in to unmask] [input] [input] [input] [input] YAHOO.Shortcuts.hasSensitiveText = false; YAHOO.Shortcuts.sensitivityType = []; YAHOO.Shortcuts.doUlt = false; YAHOO.Shortcuts.location = "us"; YAHOO.Shortcuts.lang = "us"; YAHOO.Shortcuts.document_id = 0; YAHOO.Shortcuts.document_type = ""; YAHOO.Shortcuts.document_title = ""; YAHOO.Shortcuts.document_publish_date = ""; YAHOO.Shortcuts.document_author = ""; YAHOO.Shortcuts.document_url = ""; YAHOO.Shortcuts.document_tags = ""; YAHOO.Shortcuts.annotationSet = { "lw_1202241431_0": { "text": "State of Utah", "extended": 0, "startchar": 550, "endchar": 562, "start": 550, "end": 562, "extendedFrom": "", "predictedCategory": "", "predictionProbability": "0", "weight": 0.710515, "type": ["shortcuts:/us/instance/place/us/state"], "category": ["PLACE"], "context": "the art work and the State of Utah I suggest the State will", "metaData": { "geoArea": "219693",
"geoCountry": "United States", "geoIsoCountryCode": "US", "geoLocation": "(-111.54705, 39.499611)", "geoName": "State of Utah", "geoPlaceType": "State", "geoState": "State of Utah", "geoStateCode": "UT", "type": "shortcuts:/us/instance/place/us/state" } }, "lw_1202241431_1": { "text": "San Francisco, California", "extended": 0, "startchar": 928, "endchar": 952, "start": 928, "end": 952, "extendedFrom": "", "predictedCategory": "", "predictionProbability": "0", "weight": 1.36366, "type": ["shortcuts:/us/instance/place/destination", "shortcuts:/us/instance/place/us/town"], "category": ["PLACE"], "context": "you Stephen Vincent Artist Writer San Francisco California", "metaData": { "geoArea": "274.987", "geoCountry": "United States", "geoCounty": "San Francisco", "geoIsoCountryCode": "US", "geoLocation": "(-122.42009, 37.77916)", "geoName": "San Francisco", "geoPlaceType": "Town", "geoState": "California", "geoStateCode": "CA", "geoTown": "San Francisco", "type":
"shortcuts:/us/instance/place/us/town" } } }; YAHOO.Shortcuts.overlaySpaceId = "97546169"; YAHOO.Shortcuts.hostSpaceId = "97546168"; Dear Mr. Jemmings:
I understand that the State is considering whether or not to permit oil operations in the close vicinity of Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty, For a large public - in the USA and Abroad - this work is one of the major art sites and signature sculptural statements of the 20Th Century. It is a well known public destination site and the work has been the subject of countless essays, books and photographs. To defile the site with industrial activity would be a disgrace to both the site of the art work and the State of Utah.
I suggest the State will profit much more from supporting the custodial care, attention and celebration of the Spiral Jetty than permitting its willful desecration. I encourage your office to cancel further consideration of this permission.
Thank you ,
Stephen Vincent
Artist & Writer
San Francisco, California
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