Robert Smithson

American sculptor and conceptual artist (1938-1973)

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Born: January 2, 1938
Died: July 20, 1973
Zodiac sign: Capricorn
Birth year: 1938

About Robert Smithson

Robert Smithson was an American artist known for sculpture and land art who often used drawing and photography in relation to the spatial arts. His work has been internationally exhibited in galleries and museums and is held in public collections. He was one of the founders of the land art movement whose best known work is the Spiral Jetty (1970). Robert Smithson (January 2, 1938 – July 20, 1973) was an American artist known for sculpture and land art who often used drawing and photography in relation to the spatial arts. His wall-mounted sculpture Enantiomorphic Chambers was made of steel and mirrors and created the optical effect of a "pointless vanishing-point". Partially Buried Woodshed (1970) is an earthwork created at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Robert Smithson timeline

1938Robert Smithson (January 2, 1938 – July 20, 1973) was an American artist known for sculpture and land art who often used drawing and photography in relation to the spatial arts.
1970Partially Buried Woodshed (1970) is an earthwork created at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

The world when Robert Smithson was born

Robert Smithson was born in 1938. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1938

#1 song"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" – Ella Fitzgerald
Top movieThe Adventures of Robin Hood
Best-selling bookRebecca – Daphne du Maurier

Headlines and milestones

Major sports momentJoe Louis knocks out Max Schmeling in round 1
Top headlineWar of the Worlds broadcast causes nationwide panic
Technology milestoneNuclear fission discovered
Defining fadSuperman debuts in Action Comics #1
Notable inventionInstant coffee (Nescafé)
World population2.30 billion

United States snapshot

U.S. leaderFranklin D. Roosevelt
Sports championNew York Yankees (World Series)
U.S. population129.8M

1938 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Robert Smithson's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure	1938	2026
Gas	$0.20	$3.45/gal
Average home	$5,100	$435,000
Average income	$2,800	$67,500
Minimum wage	$0.25	$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket	$0.25	$11.95
Postage stamp	$0.03	$0.73
Population	129.8M	341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Library of Congress. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.