Galvanized steel pipe, earth, concrete foundations
Circle of Locators: diam. 40 ft. (12.2 m); Locators: 60 x 12 x 2 in. (152 x 31 x 5 cm) each
© Holt/Smithson Foundation / Licensed by Artists Rights Society, New York
Missoula Ranch Locators - Vision Encompassed (1972) by Nancy Holt is a site-specific sculpture created on ranchland near Missoula, Montana. Eight Locators, T-shaped structures made from galvanized steel, were arranged in a circular formation and aligned with the compass directions outdoors, developing from experiments Holt conducted in her studio the previous year. Looking outward, each Locator framed a small circular view of the surrounding landscape, guiding the viewer’s gaze toward mountains, sky, and plains. Looking inward, the Locators face each other. The work explores perception, orientation, and how people visually structure their environment. Holt made a film of Missoula Ranch Locators - Vision Encompassed the same year it was created, and the sculpture was dismantled in 2003.