Exhibits
John Wilson
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery Case
September 10 through October 31, 2018
John Wilson (1922-2015) was a nationally admired sculptor, draftsman, and printmaker—and a 50+ year resident of Brookline. Through a group of drawings and photographs on view in the Emery Case at the Brookline Village Library, visitors can learn about the community-wide effort to bring Wilson’s majestic bronze sculpture of Martin Luther King, Jr., to our Town Hall.
“Fragments: Recent Photographs by Greg Heins”
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
September 12 through November 6, 2018
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 15, from 2-4PM
“I began photography in New York City after graduating from college with a degree in English Literature. Since 1973, I have lived in Boston, working as a photographer of works of art. In 2000, stimulated by the arrival of high quality color printing technology, I began to devote more time to personal photography.
“I exhibit at Gallery Kayafas in Boston. I have photographs in the collections of the Smith College Museum of Art, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Davis Museum of Wellesley College, the Addison Gallery of American Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
“I’m interested in the look of things. My photographs spring from the desire to see formal qualities and visual relationships that are inchoate or semi-expressed in the visible world before me and transform them into a work of art. I look for something to catch my eye, to wave me over, to ask me to photograph it: the overlooked ordinary. The subsequent realization of these perceptions in print form is the mysterious and unending satisfaction of the photographic process.
“The photographs respond to the success or failure of the ones that came before them. The process is visual, not driven by a pre-conceived idea, not made to illustrate an assigned subject matter. The subject is the formal relationships within the finished print. The artistic impulse may be driven by age and loss, anger and regret, by a desire for freedom and play, but the statement is the photographs.” – Greg Heins
Little Golden Book and Wonder Book Display
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Lobby and Foundation Cases
September 12 through October 31, 2018
Nostalgia for one’s childhood is often made up of the “little things:” a favorite plaything, a particular birthday party, the unconditional love of a family pet – and a story read again and again from a Little Golden or Wonder Book.
These original editions represent years of either finding by chance or searching, through book dealers, for the favorite childhood books of one library patron who is a former Brookline resident. Each book evokes for her a warm memory of a time, place and especially an individual.
Little Golden Books are still published and available in bookstores, although the original twenty-five cent cover price has increased by as much as tenfold. Although the Wonder Book publishing company was sold several times between 1946 and 1986, like the Little Golden Books the stories and illustrations are timeless and to many, priceless.
Some people create a collection with the belief that it will increase in value “someday.” These books were brought together guided by the wisdom of “collect what you love.”
John Wilson
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery, Lobby, and Foundation Cases
July 10 through September 9, 2018
John Wilson (1922-2015) was a nationally admired sculptor, draftsman, and printmaker—and a 50+ year resident of Brookline. To celebrate his many accomplishments, a number of his works pertaining to reading, including several of his illustrated books, will be shown at the Brookline Village Library through the summer. Several masterworks from Wilson’s years in France and Mexico will also be on display. And through a group of drawings and photographs, library visitors can learn about the community-wide effort to bring Wilson’s majestic bronze sculpture of Martin Luther King, Jr., to our Town Hall.
Brookline Public Schools, Grades K-7: “Splish Splash”
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
July 9 through September 9, 2018
The Brookline Visual Arts Department presents their annual summer show, a selection of K-7 student artwork created during the 2017-2018 school year in Brookline’s eight public elementary schools. It is on view through September 9. Special thanks to all the participating students and their teachers; Alicia Mitchell, Art Curriculum Coordinator, Brookline Public Schools; and Joanne Shaughnessy and Julie Falsioni who installed the show.
ArtsBrookline
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
June 5 through July 8, 2018
The mission of ArtsBrookline, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is to support artists in the Brookline Community through events, exhibitions, professional development and cultivating an audience.
ArtsBrookline maintains an online calendar of arts and cultural events throughout April, May and June annually, to highlight the many Brookline arts organizations and artists. A selection of those organizations is featured in this exhibit.
Brookline’s Poets Laureate
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: The Foundation Case
May 17 through July 8, 2018
An exhibit featuring books written by Brookline’s Poets Laureate is now on view at the Brookline Village Library. Displayed are the works of the third and current Poet Laureate Zvi A. Sesling (2017 – 2020), the writings of the second Poet Laureate Jan Schreiber (2015 – 2017), and the poetry books and poetry teaching books of Brookline’s first Poet Laureate Judith Steinberg (2013 – 2015). The three will read from their poetry on Friday, October 12, 2018 at 7PM at the Brookline Booksmith.
Lower Devotion Art Show (K-4)
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
May 9 through June 10, 2018; Opening reception, Monday, May 14: 5:30-7:30PM
The Lower Devotion Art Show (K-4) is on view in the Gallery in Hunneman Hall through June 10. See paintings, drawings, prints and collages, showcasing one piece of artwork by each of the almost 500 students at the school.
Special thanks to Emily Manning-Mingle, and all the students, parents and teachers who helped put this spectacular show together!
The Public Library of Brookline has been honored to have hosted this exhibit last year and this year during Devotion School’s two-year renovation.
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month (May)
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Lobby and Emery Cases
May 1 through June 3, 2018; Special program with Janet Wu: Wednesday, May 23: 6PM
The Brookline Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations and the Brookline Asian American Family Network celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month (May) with an exhibit at the Brookline Village Library in the Emery and Lobby Cases. Items of significance to Asian American Brookline residents are on display in an effort to recognize the culture and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islanders within our town. Also please visit our display in the Brookline Town Hall.
Additionally, please join us in celebrating AAPI month on Wednesday, May 23 in Hunneman Hall in the Village Library at 6PM where we will celebrate our 2018 Asian American student essay contest winners and hear from guest speaker, Janet Wu, a Journalist from Bloomberg TV and Radio and Adjunct Professor at Emerson College on “Diversity, Conflict and Information”. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
Please contact Caitlin Haynes at chaynes@brooklinema.gov for more information or questions.
Brookline Open Studios Preview Show
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
March 16 through April 22, 2018; Closing Reception: Sunday, April 22: 1:30-3:30PM
This year, Brookline Open Studios Weekend will be held Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29. Since 1986, Open Studios has been an annual springtime event, held in locations all over Brookline. The Brookline Open Studios Preview Show is on view at the Brookline Village Library in the Foundation Case and Hunneman Hall through April 22 and features the work of many local artists participating in Brookline Open Studios Weekend. Oils, acrylics, watercolors, ceramics, jewelry, photography, and mixed media are included.
The participating artists are: Leah Abrahams, John Amburg, Martin R. Anderson, Evelyn Berde, Caroline Bowden, Cathie Brenner, Barry Briss, Amy Elizabeth Browning, Martha Chason-Sokol, Jean Pierre Dubreuil, Madeline Fine, Ruth Ginsberg-Place, Susan J. Harmon, Liz Lander, Caryl Hull Leavitt, Leonie Little-Lex, Carolyn E. Lovit, Maryellen Moran, Joseph Perkel, Jocelyn Randles, Luca Riccó, Clint Richmond, Debra Rose, Nan Rumpf, A.E. Ryan, Frances Schreiber, Jodie Sinclair, Patt Timothy, Katie White, Sheryl Williams, and Devora Wise.
Special thanks to the Brookline Arts Center for curating this show. For more information, go to: www.brooklineopenstudios.com.
“Iran 2017” by Sima Hajhariri
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Lobby and Emery Cases
March 15 through April 26, 2018
“In December of 2017, I traveled to Iran with the intention of visiting the historic cities of Isfahan and Shiraz. It was not my first trip to those two cities, however, growing up in Tehran-the capital of Iran-and maybe like many other Tehranis, I was too proud of my hometown to genuinely appreciate the art and history of anywhere else in Iran. Even though I had enjoyed all my previous trips, the level of my appreciation of the cities was, “Oh, that was beautiful. I had a good time.”
“This time was different. I guess 20 years of being away from my home country made me realize how I had taken for granted all the opportunities I had had in my life to enjoy and really appreciate the art and culture of all my people. It was during this trip that I learned that some of the beauties of Iran are not only unique within the country itself, but are also unique in the Middle East and Asia. With March 20th (the vernal equinox), celebrated as the New Year (“Nowruz”) in Persian culture, right around the corner, I decided to share my experience with you. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.”
“Truth and Consequences: Climate Action Now” by Climate Action Brookline
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
February 7 through March 11, 2018
The exhibit highlights influential books and resources, photographs and the upcoming, free and open to the public, 8th Annual Climate Week Brookline 2018, April 7-14, 2018.
Health and Climate Week Collaboration: Climate Action Brookline and Brookline Dept. of Public Health have collaborated to align climate related events of National Public Health Week (April 2-8) with Climate Week 2018 (April 7-14). Brookline Dept. of Public health has scheduled two environment related events:
Monday – April 2
Not Fake News# Public Health & Climate Change
Phillip Duffy, Ph.D., Exec. Dir., Woods Hole Research Center
Village Library, Hunneman Hall, 7–8:30PM
The health impacts of climate change come in many forms. Dr. Duffy will discuss the growing health consequences of climate change and argue that more people have died as a result of climate change than have died from terrorism.
Friday – April 6
Movie Night: STINK!
Discussion to follow with Prof. Michael Berger, Simmons College advocates, and Kathryn Rodgers from Silent Spring Institute
Lawrence School Auditorium, 6:30–8:30PM
STINK! opens with a foul smell, a pair of kid’s pajamas, and a single father trying to find out what that smell could possibly be. Instead of getting a straight answer, director Jon Whelan stumbles on a bigger issue in America, which is that some products on our store shelves are not safe – by design. There will be a discussion after the film with an opportunity to learn how to make your home safer and less toxic. Suggested audience: 10 and over.
“Wisdom and Memories: Brookline Seniors and The Reunion Project” by photographer Lora Brody
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
January 17 through March 12, 2018
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 20, from 2-4PM
Nearly 50 Brookline senior women from both Goddard House and the Brookline Senior Center participated in The Reunion Project, a combination of art and narrative, designed to encourage older women to reflect on their memories and recognize the wisdom that comes with age.
The project culminates in an art exhibit featuring photographs and quotations that will be on display in Hunneman Hall at the Brookline Village Library. The exhibit will open Wednesday, January 17 and will be on display through Tuesday, March 12. There will be an opening reception at the Library on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 2-4PM. The public is invited.
Ginny Mazur, Community Partnership Director at Goddard House, learned about the project and recognized its potential benefits for senior women and for the community. She remarked, “When I look at the younger- and older-self photos, I imagine all the life lived in between them.”
Lora Brody was invited to conduct The Reunion Project in Brookline. The project was welcomed by Senior Center Director Ruthann Dobek, who remarked, “It’s important to promote a positive image of aging with an emphasis on people’s history and the wisdom people bring to their life experiences.”
Frank Caro, co-chair of the BrooklineCAN Steering Committee, enthusiastically endorsed the project and BrooklineCAN (Brookline Community Aging Network) joined in as a sponsor.
From the collection of Roy MacKenzie: A Lifetime of Robots
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
January 6 through February 4, 2018
“My name is Roy MacKenzie, and I am a member of the Reference Department (Brookline Village) at the Public Library of Brookline. As you may have guessed, I’m very fond of robots. This collection represents some of the many different robots I’ve accumulated over the years. My interest in robots started when I was very young, and it continues to this day. I hope that my display brings you some delight.”
From the Brookline Historical Society: Places and Faces in Brookline Village
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
January 3 through March 11, 2018
Brookline Historical Society Annual Meeting: Sunday, February 25, 2018, 2PM Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: Hunneman Hall
This exhibit from the Brookline Historical Society features eight posters with historic photos and accompanying stories that show the evolution of the people and businesses of Brookline Village from the mid-19th century to today. It includes views and accounts of former Irish tenements on Brookline Ave. and the businesses of lower Washington St. that were entirely eliminated in the 1960s urban renewal project. Also detailed are close-ups of several former stores of the Village and their buildings as they exist today.
“Harvard Square (intersection of Washington and Harvard Streets) in 1895 and 1908.”
Sunday, February 25, 2018, 2PM
The neighborhood of Brookline Village emerged as Brookline’s municipal and commercial center in the mid-19th century after the construction of a new Town Hall and a branch of the Boston & Worcester Railroad in the 1840s. Join Historical Society President Ken Liss for a look at the origins of this historic neighborhood, including:
- The commercial district along Washington and Harvard Streets, featuring brick buildings from the 1870s and earlier
- The town’s civic center, site of three successive Town Halls, the public library (1869), the Pierce School (1855) , and other municipal buildings.
- The Lindens, one of the first planned residential developments in town (1840s)
- Emerson Garden and the Elijah Emerson House on Davis Avenue (1846)
- White Place, with one of the largest concentrations of vernacular architecture in Brookline
The program will be preceded by a brief annual meeting. Refreshments will be served at the end of the talk.
Past Exhibits
Interested in exhibiting your work at the Public Library of Brookline? Review our Art Exhibition Policy and read about the specifics of exhibiting at the Brookline Village Library, the Coolidge Corner Library or the Putterham Library.
Brookline Village Exhibit Areas
First floor:
- Foundation Case — located in the west entrance foyer near School St.
- Emery & Lobby Cases — in the main lobby across from the new nonfiction books
- Brookline 300th Display Case — in the Reference Room
Children’s Room:
- at the entrance
- across from the Circulation Desk
- all around the room
Teen Room:
- Near the entrance to the Teen Comics & Graphic Novels hallway
The Gallery in Hunneman Hall — located on the second floor
The Gallery in Hunneman Hall is open up to 30 minutes before closing as long as the hall is not is use. For scheduled programs and events, check our events calendar. If the track lights are off when you arrive, the (labelled) switches are just inside the door to your right.