"Robert Smithson's monumental earthwork Spiral Jetty (1970) is located on the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Using black basalt rocks and earth from the site, the artist created a coil 1500 feet long and 15 feet wide that stretches out counterclockwise into the translucent red water."[source] Smithson was obsessed with spirals, and his notebooks were full of all sorts. He had started out working with piles of dirt and rocks, and combining them with mirrors and things, moving on to placing mirrors around in nature. He also experimented with pouring various materials down hillsides, like asphalt and glue.
While I am not a fan of Smithson's disregard for the impact of his works on their environment, I think that the Spiral Jetty overcomes that and is an amazing fusion of natural elements and human construction. While it was interesting at the beginning, I think as the elements have taken over, it has become much more beautiful.
Spiral Jetty
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Robert Smithson site
Spiral
Jetty Travelogue
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Water, White Salt Crystals, Black Boulders, and the Return of Spiral Jetty!