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.

Yep.

It’s gone.

Courtesy: Kelsea Dockham | Canyon State Overland pic.twitter.com/xPAnoyNMgE

— (@brian_schnee) November 29, 2020

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.

I respect any alien race with a “no bong left behind” policy https://t.co/q5pcUdgTRY

— Justin “Hoops” McElroy (@JustinMcElroy) November 29, 2020

utah monolith: pic.twitter.com/noiKxN0AuS

— g (@sighswoon) November 29, 2020

Relax. The prophesy foretells that we’ll be fine as long as nothing happens to the mysterious monolith in Utah.

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) November 29, 2020

I took the monolith.

— Tom DeLonge (@tomdelonge) November 29, 2020

a little embarrassing but have you guys seen my giant silver monolith anywhere?

— kc green (@kcgreenn) November 29, 2020

the silver monolith in utah is a gender reveal and the gender is mystery

— nicole boyce (@nicolewboyce) November 29, 2020

You know in the horror movie where the big scary thing that’s about to happen is just playing in the background on the news for the first 15 minutes? That’s how I feel about the Utah desert monolith.

— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) November 29, 2020

I’m off the internet for a few hours and the monolith is gone??? pic.twitter.com/oxYFPlbBrB

— Chris Feil (@chrisvfeil) November 29, 2020

Godspeed monolith, wherever you are.

(via New York Times, image: screenshots)

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