New shows open at the Addison Gallery
A hidden gem in Andover
The Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy is a hidden gem, offering eclectic changing exhibits and free admission to art lovers around the region.
Several new exhibits have recently opened and will be on view through July 30.
They include “Women and Abstraction: 1741Now.” It is comprised almost entirely of works from the Addison collection and explores how women have deployed the visual language and universal formal concerns of abstraction — color, line, form, shape, contrast, pattern, and texture — to create works of art across many media including paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, ceramics, and textiles from the 18th century to the present day.
Also on view is “Alison Elizabeth Taylor: The Sum of It,” consisting of approximately 40 large-scale single panel works and a room-sized installation. Known for her daring, inventive fusion of marquetry (the centuries- old art of wood inlay) with gritty and provocative subject matter, Taylor tells tales that are unequivocally modern. The works showcase her mastery of this now nearly forgotten and rare medium and reveal her talent as a storyteller and chronicler of 21st century American culture.
Finally, “Lavaughan Jenkins: Edward E. Elson Artist-in-residence” focuses on the impressive body of work that the Bostonbased artist produced during his six months as the Addison’s artist-in-residence in 2022. He continuously works and reworks his compositions, creating sculptural paintings that push the boundaries of the medium.
These exciting new works build on the artist’s ongoing quest to redefine painting and pay homage to the Black women who have made an impact on him personally as well as the larger world.
The gallery is located at 180 Main Street in Andover on the Phillips Academy campus. Visit www.addisongallery.org for hours and other info.
Gallery notes
ARTS MART AT WINTERFEST: You’ll find dozens of artists and makers selling all manner of arts and crafts — photos, jewelry, apparel, ceramics and more at this weekend’s Winterfest in the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Hours are 6- 9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, and noon- 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18. Visit https://www.lowellwinterfest.com/artmarket for lineup and info.
CATCH A FLICK: This is the weekend to check out the Best International Films of 2022. On Feb. 16-19 at the MFA Boston, visit https://www.mfa.org/series/mfa-film-picks-best-international-films- of-2022?event=91756 for film titles, descriptions, times and admission info.
AT THE WAM: Come to Worcester Art Museum at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19 for a talk on “The Remarkable Career of Guillaume Guillon-lethière.” Speaker Esther Bell, deputy director and Martha Berman Lipp Chief Curator of the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown shares her expertise on the career of Guillaume Guillon-lethière (1760—1832, an artist born in the French colony of Guadeloupe and one of the most fascinating cultural figures of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Two works by Lethière are currently on view at WAM: a long-term loan of “Lucien Bonaparte Contemplating His Mistress” and “Girl with Portfolio” from the WAM’S permanent collection. Visit https://www.worcesterart.org/events/talks/ for info.