Nancy Holt: Concrete Tunnels Aligned with the Cosmos

Nancy Holt, a key figure in the land art movement of the 1960s and 70s, created huge works in deserts and along riverbanks. Her art focused on the systems of the Earth and the universe. Now, she is getting her first full UK exhibition in Sussex. The exhibition at the Goodwood Art Foundation highlights her most famous piece, Sun Tunnels. Built in 1976 in the Utah desert, these four large concrete cylinders are lined up with the sun and stars. The work combines a dramatic natural setting with a massive scale. But the show’s most important piece may be a small sheet of paper, just 30cm by 45cm, hanging on a gallery wall. In its center is a circle. Around it, a concrete poem spells out: “MOONSUNSTAR EARTHSKYWATER.” This single artwork captures Holt’s lifelong fascination with the connection between land, sky, and space.