Nancy Holt

Nancy Holt is a Worcester-born artist best known for her public sculptures and land art. I first became aware of Holt a few years back when I very randomly stumbled upon a book of hers, Ransacked, at Printed Matter. Ransacked, which was published in 1980, is a series of photos and quotes from her Aunt Ethel that tell the tragic story of her elderly aunt being taken advantage of by her caretaker; her house literally being "ransacked." This book caught my interest because the house was located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a stone's throw from where I grew up. The above video, Swamp, is a collaboration between herself and her husband Robert Smithson and deals with the limitations of perception.