ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Nancy Holt, Pioneering Land Artist, Dies at 75

artist · 2026-04-20

Nancy Holt, a key figure in land art, died on February 11, 2014. She had just been in New York for a lifetime achievement award event in October before being admitted to a hospital in New Mexico. During her hospital stay, she focused on editing her last film, The Making of Amarillo Ramp (2013), which showcases a project from 1973 by her late husband, Robert Smithson. This film is featured in the Dallas Museum of Art's exhibition, Robert Smithson in Texas. In a 2012 interview with ArtReview, Holt discussed how returning to significant locations can evoke deep feelings, a viewpoint shared by critic Laura McLean-Ferris. Her contributions to video and installation art further cemented her legacy in contemporary art.

Key facts

  • Nancy Holt died on 11 February 2014
  • She was an American land artist based in New Mexico
  • Holt received a lifetime achievement award in New York in October
  • She edited her last film The Making of Amarillo Ramp (2013) in hospital
  • The film portrays Robert Smithson's 1973 work Amarillo Ramp
  • The film is shown at the Dallas Museum of Art exhibition Robert Smithson in Texas
  • She gave a 2012 interview to ArtReview with critic Laura McLean-Ferris
  • Holt's practice included video and installation works

Entities

Artists

  • Nancy Holt
  • Robert Smithson
  • Laura McLean-Ferris

Institutions

  • Dallas Museum of Art
  • ArtReview

Locations

  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Texas
  • United States

Sources