In 1967, the American artist and pioneer of the Land Art movement, Robert Smithson, published the text A Tour of the Monuments of Passaic. The text revolves around Smithson moving through his hometown of Passaic, pointing out and exposing – with his Instamatic camera – the city’s “most important” monuments. When Smithson runs out of film, he takes a break at The Golden Diner in Passaic Center. However, he does not experience it as a ‘center’ – a midpoint – but rather as something closer to an abyss or a void.
Decades later, the Danish artist Joachim Koester writes the text The Land That Time Forgot – Robert Smithson’s Photographs from Passaic, about Smithson’s text and photographs, but also describes Koester’s own walk through Passaic in 2005. Although Passaic has changed significantly since the late 1960s, and The Golden Diner is now a Dunkin’ Donuts, Koester writes: “…that the word ‘Center’ should still be taken with a grain of salt.”
A Short Guide to Passaic, New Jersey brings together the two texts in direct dialogue – in Danish – for the first time, and serves as a guide for those who wish to delve into Robert Smithson’s now iconic text or make their own way to Passaic, New Jersey.
The zine is published in collaboration with Ransby Editions.
15 cm × 21 cm
24 pages
Softcover, saddle stitched
Designed by Martin Ransby
Published September 2025
ISBN 97887-85336-05-7
In 1967, the American artist and pioneer of the Land Art movement, Robert Smithson, published the text A Tour of the Monuments of Passaic. The text revolves around Smithson moving through his hometown of Passaic, pointing out and exposing – with his Instamatic camera – the city’s “most important” monuments. When Smithson runs out of film, he takes a break at The Golden Diner in Passaic Center. However, he does not experience it as a ‘center’ – a midpoint – but rather as something closer to an abyss or a void.
Decades later, the Danish artist Joachim Koester writes the text The Land That Time Forgot – Robert Smithson’s Photographs from Passaic, about Smithson’s text and photographs, but also describes Koester’s own walk through Passaic in 2005. Although Passaic has changed significantly since the late 1960s, and The Golden Diner is now a Dunkin’ Donuts, Koester writes: “…that the word ‘Center’ should still be taken with a grain of salt.”
A Short Guide to Passaic, New Jersey brings together the two texts in direct dialogue – in Danish – for the first time, and serves as a guide for those who wish to delve into Robert Smithson’s now iconic text or make their own way to Passaic, New Jersey.
The zine is published in collaboration with Ransby Editions.
15 cm × 21 cm
24 pages
Softcover, saddle stitched
Designed by Martin Ransby
Published September 2025
ISBN 97887-85336-05-7
