Art Review: Addison Gallery of American Art’s New Director Allison Kemmerer

Gratitude’s in short supply, whining kooks in sorry, grating abundance. This isn’t an embarrassment of riches but an embarrassment of stupid. The climate of our 4-billion-year-old planet, which some people actually think they can change, COVID, and what’s called anti-racism, which is plain old lucrative racism, are among the fake religions rooted in apocalypse mania. I’m in the chill phase of my dotage. I’m grateful for many things, large and small. Today and Saturday, I’ll write about the ones that are most timely.

I take special note of the appointment of Allison Kemmerer as director of the Addison Gallery of American Art. It’s a distinguished art museum owned by Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., and specializing in American art from 18th-century furniture, silver, and paintings to today. Its collection of Homers, Eakinses, Hoppers, and many others rivals that of our biggest museums. I was the director for ten years, so was keen to hear the news, though I’ve been gone for a while now.

About the Author

Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

Gratitude’s in short supply, whining kooks in sorry, grating abundance. This isn’t an embarrassment of riches but an embarrassment of stupid. The climate of our 4-billion-year-old planet, which some people actually think they can change, COVID, and what’s called anti-racism, which is plain old lucrative racism, are among the fake religions rooted in apocalypse mania. I’m in the chill phase of my dotage. I’m grateful for many things, large and small. Today and Saturday, I’ll write about the ones that are most timely.

I take special note of the appointment of Allison Kemmerer as director of the Addison Gallery of American Art. It’s a distinguished art museum owned by Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., and specializing in American art from 18th-century furniture, silver, and paintings to today. Its collection of Homers, Eakinses, Hoppers, and many others rivals that of our biggest museums. I was the director for ten years, so was keen to hear the news, though I’ve been gone for a while now.