Hepworth was keen for her work to be experienced in the open air, which developed into a lifelong passion. She famously wrote that her work should be “allowed to breathe” outdoors and that she “kept on thinking of large works in a landscape: this has always been a dream in my mind”.
Her works are specifically designed for the outdoors: Square with Two Circles seemingly changes appearance depending on the time of day and year. Sometimes it appears to frame its landscape context, at other times it reflects sunlight and seems almost golden.