ANDOVER, MA.- The Addison Gallery of American Art presents Models as Muse: Roderick Buchanan, Christine Hiebert, Jennifer and Kevin McCoy, and David Opdyke, on view through March 18, 2007. Models as Muse merges the past and the present by creating a dialogue between the Addison Gallery's famed model ship collection and contemporary artists who have been invited to create new work that responds to, engages with, or is inspired by these remarkable objects and their captivating presence.

The twenty-four ship models were commissioned by the museum's founders in 1930 and were created at a uniform scale to document four centuries of American history. In this exhibition they will serve as both the exhibition's central objects and as the muse for unique projects in a variety of media-from video to sculptural installations to wall drawings-by some of the most thoughtful and challenging artists working today.

This exhibition has been generously funded by the Sidney R. Knafel Exhibition Fund and Harry and Lisa Elson. Special thanks to Galatea Contemporary Art Advisors, London for their assistance in the Roderick Buchanan installation.