Robert Smithson, Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (1971) in 1971 on the left and 2021 on the right.
Emmen, The Netherlands
ROBERT SMITHSON
Broken Circle/Spiral Hill
Robert Smithson’s earthwork Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (1971) was commissioned for the recurring outdoor exhibition Sonsbeek buiten de Perken. It is located in a former sand quarry just outside of Emmen, in the province of Drenthe.
In 2021 we celebrated the 50th anniversary with a series of open weekends. In 2025 the artwork will be opened to the public again during several weekends across the different seasons.
You can experience why Broken Circle/Spiral Hill is as urgent and relevant as ever. The only earthwork by Robert Smithson outside of the United States remains a unique place in The Netherlands.
Excursions by bus
Excursions to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill Across Four Seasons
In 2025 and 2026, Land Art Contemporary and DIEP will organize a series of bus excursions to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill.
Visitors can experience the artwork on two weekends per season. To minimize the environmental impact, excursions will be conducted by bus.
Tickets for these excursions are available here.
The departure point is Emmen Zuid Station, which is easily accessible by public transport and car. From the parking area, a bus will take visitors to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill. Along the way, a brief introduction to the artwork will be provided. Additionally, an audio tour (accessible via smartphone) and the film Breaking Ground: Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (approx. 21 min) will be available for viewing. The visit on site lasts approximately 1.5 hours.
From Dawn till Dusk:
An online encounter between two earthworks by Robert Smithson
From Dawn till Dusk: an online encounter between two earthworks by Robert Smithson
On September 10, 2024, a unique event took place: a live connection between two iconic artworks—Spiral Jetty (1970) in Utah and Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (1971) in Emmen. These are the only two remaining ‘earthworks’ by Robert Smithson, one of the founding figures of American Land Art.
The live stream, accessible online, began at sunrise at Spiral Jetty on one continent and concluded at sunset at Broken Circle/Spiral Hill on another. This seven-hour livestream was a collaboration between M. in Almere, Land Art Flevoland, Land Art Contemporary, the Holt/Smithson Foundation, and Land Art of the American West (Texas Tech University). It was part of the pre-program for Land Art Lives, a conference on the future of Land Art that took place in October 2024.
See also: https://landartlives.nl/verslagen-1/terugkijken-op-from-dawn-till-dusk/
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Holt/Smithson Foundation and Land Art Contemporary, in cooperation with different parties, are working towards a sustainable future for Broken Circle/Spiral Hill in Emmen, The Netherlands.
Activities related to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill are financially supported by:
All artworks and images by Nancy Holt and Robert Smithson are copyright Holt/Smithson Foundation, licensed by VAGA at ARS, New York.
