The “Homage to Women” sculpture by Mico Kaufman defines Market Street Park in Lowell, Massachusetts, on multiple levels. The piece is designed to be a tribute to Lowell’s 19th century “mill girls”, representing the struggles and aspirations of all women throughout time.
Market Street Park is one of the more notable spaces in Lowell and an important park of Lowell National Historic Park, where much of the history associated with “mill girls” is preserved. That notoriety fueled the creation of the “Homage to Women” sculpture by Kaufman.
Installed in 1984, the five intertwined figures that make up the sculpture are meant to illustrate how women all over the world have one trait in common related to their work ethic. The artist mentioned how the figures show how hard women work and how that work is unheralded.
The piece has allowed the space to celebrate women in a unique way that others can build upon, which can be seen with the “Women Working for Lowell” marker that was installed in 1992. It celebrates the commitment the women of Lowell have made to the economic, educational, cultural and social development of the city. All of it is tied to a foundational piece of Lowell’s history that is visually and spatially represented in the sculpture.
Intended to represent women of different races as well as the challenges they’ve had to work through over the eras, the “Homage to Women” sculpture has been able to define Market Street Park but also represent a legacy that is about something much bigger than the space. Doing so speaks to Kaufman’s desire for viewers to look at all of his sculptures from the point of view of the sculpture rather than the artist or any other perspective.
By depicting this abstract concept in such a powerful way, “Homage to Women” has been able to connect itself to the history of the area as well as a legacy that spans countless cultures and time periods, allowing audiences to experience everything the space and city have to offer in multiple ways.
