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 to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill in 2026
In 2026 we will again organize a series of bus excursions to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill in collaboration with DIEP.
The excursions take place on weekends:
Summer
Weekend 4/5 July
Weekend 29/30 August
Weekend 19/20 September
Autumn
weekend 17/18 October
To order tickets: https://tickets.diepemmen.nl/nl/brokencircle/tickets
The starting point for the excursions is Emmen Zuid Station. This is easily accessible by public transport and by car.
During the excursion you can listen to an audio tour (available via your smartphone) and the film Breaking Ground: Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (approx. 21 minutes) can be seen. The on-site visit takes approximately 1.5 hours.
Broken Circle/Spiral Hill nominated as national monument
Land Art Contemporary and Holt/Smithson Foundation are delighted that Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (1971) by American artist Robert Smithson has been included in the designation programme for 15 young national monuments from the Post 65 period in the Netherlands. During the official presentation on Thursday 4 September, Anne Reenders (Land Art Contemporary) received the documents, marking an important milestone in the long-standing efforts to preserve and recognise this unique work of art.
‘Unexpectedly good news,’ said Reenders. ‘and a wonderful recognition of the artistic and historical value of Broken Circle/Spiral Hill in particular and of land art in general”..’
Lisa Le Feuvre, director of the American Holt/Smithson Foundation, is also delighted: This decision marks an important step for the future of Smithson's artistic legacy in the Netherlands, and underlines the importance of this artwork in the narrative of local, regional, national, and international art history’.
Broken Circle/Spiral Hill is one of fifteen young monuments nominated by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE), on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. These fifteen nominated monuments were selected from a list of nearly 1,500 locations in the Netherlands dating from the period 1965–1990. Other nominated monuments include the Eco Cathedral in Mildam, Terneuzen Town Hall and Lelystad Centrum Station. The official designation will follow after a public consultation period.
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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.
