Things We Saw Today: Utah’s Monolith Disappears as Mysteriously as It Came

Remember last week when a mysterious metal monolith in the Utah desert captured the world’s imagination? What was it? Where did it come from? Is it a gift from aliens or a doorway to another dimension or the world’s most inaccessible art installation?

Whelp, the mystery continues as the monolith has now disappeared. The federal Bureau of Land Management’s Utah office released a statement saying that the monolith was removed on Friday evening “by an unknown party” from its desert location. The bureau added that they did not remove the monolith themselves, as it was considered private property.

Many are crediting the monolith to artist John McCracken, a Minimalist sculptor and sci-fi fan who passed away in 2011. His son, Patrick McCracken, said that his father noted “would like to leave his artwork in remote places to be discovered later.” McCracken added that his father “was inspired by the idea of alien visitors leaving objects that resembled his work, or that his work resembled. This discovery of a monolith piece — that’s very much in line with his artistic vision.”

Others believe that the monolith is a prop left over from Westworld , which was filming nearby when the monolith was first spotted. A leftover prop is less exciting than an alien artifact or an art installation, but so far no one from HBO or the Westworld production has claimed responsibility.

Many took to social media to bid farewell to the puzzling monolith, whose WTF nature is emblematic of the year 2020.

Godspeed monolith, wherever you are.

(via New York Times, image: screenshots)

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Long live the King. #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/uW1KisOkTq

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) November 29, 2020

Hope you’re having a restful and thankful Sunday, Mary Suevians!

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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