A New Addition to the Addison Gallery's Façade

Traveling past the Addison Gallery on Route 28, perhaps you have seen a new work of art adorning the museum's façade. Women's Work, the laser-cut aluminum doily (sometimes mistaken for a snowflake), 20 feet in diameter, was installed in late April as part of "Abbot and Andover at 50: Then, Now, Next," a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Abbot Academy and Phillips Academy becoming a single institution. “Abbot & Andover at 50” aims to recognize the legacy of Abbot Academy, one of the first educational institutions in New England founded for girls and women, and the ways it has impacted the Andover community.

Created by artist and Abbot Academy alumna Jennifer Cecere (Class of 1969), the doily is one of two site-specific works installed on campus. Just off of School Street, on the site of the former Abbot Academy campus, one of Cecere's signature doily benches (entitled Abbot Doily Bench) enlivens Abbot Circle. The bench, which takes the shape of an accordion-folded doily, is over nine feet long, five feet wide, and eight feet high.

Cecere has spent much of her career creating works of art that activate public spaces while challenging traditional perspectives on “women’s work.” Long associated with the Pattern and Decoration movement, which challenged hierarchies by referencing marginalized artistic traditions like quilting, metalwork, and embroidery, Cecere is best known for bold pieces that embrace and reimagine the domestic doily. For centuries, these accessories protected furniture, added decorative touches, and showcased women’s needlework skills. In Cecere’s installations, free from the constraints of household spaces, the doilies take on a much larger role.

“An aluminum doily on the Addison’s façade becomes part of the building, reflecting light, time of day, the seasons and campus life,” said Cecere. “It will be interactive and dynamic, which is my aim. The Abbot doily bench will also reflect the sky, trees, buildings, and community. The two create a dialogue reinforcing our message to honor the past by recognizing the complicated history associated with the merger and to create a more inclusive Andover. I think this is an appropriate way to honor the two institutions and celebrate this important milestone.”

Cecere also will serve as the Addison’s Edward E. Elson Artist-in-Residence this spring. In this capacity, she will work with students from Phillips Academy and local public schools in subjects including painting, visual studies, English, art as activism, and gender studies. Additionally, Cecere will present a virtual talk on Wednesday, May 22, at 3:00 pm to discuss her body of work and the installations created for “Abbot & Andover at 50.” A video recording of the program will be available online about a week after the presentation. This free program is organized with Andover’s Memorial Hall Library; registration is required. Women’s Work and Abbot Doily Bench will remain on view through July 31, 2024. Generous support for these installations has been provided by the Abbot Academy Fund, continuing Abbot’s tradition of boldness, innovation, and caring.