Exhibits
Turkish Spoons from the Collection of Nicholas Johnson
Coolidge Corner Library Display Case
January 2 – 30, 2020
Read Local
Curated by Sarah W. R. Smith
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
December 7, 2019 through January 16, 2020
Suggestions from local writers for holiday giving, and local writers’ own books, mostly from Library-sponsored Mystery Writers of America.
Chinese American Fine Arts Society presents
Chinese Painting and Calligraphy
Brookline Village Library: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
November 13, 2019 through January 7, 2020
Receptions: Saturdays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 21 from 2-4PM
Ten members of the Chinese American Fine Arts Society (www.cafarts.org) are displaying 28 works of Chinese painting and calligraphy, including two black and white photographs of “Poetic Yellow Mountains” by internationally renowned photographer George Moy. The other participating artists are: Catherine Tan Chan, Chu-Pei Lam, Hochung Lam, Siu-King Leung, Mike Mei, Yun Yang, George H Wang, Yuang Shuang Wang, and Yu-Shuang Wang.
In addition, receptions on Saturdays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 21, with music performances from 2-3PM, live painting and calligraphy demonstrations from 3-4PM, and light refreshments at their conclusions, will be held. The music performances are provided by the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts.
On Saturday, Nov. 30, Chinese art songs and opera arias from Don Giovanni and La Boheme will be performed by sopranos Wanzhe Zhang and Emily Xiao Wang, baritone Jiongtao Li, and pianist Jia Shi. Chu-Pei Lam and Hochung Lam will present the painting demonstrations. On Saturday, Dec. 21, Micah Huang (guitar and electronic sound samples) will present the world premiere of his composition “Away from American Soil” with pianists Chi Wei Lo, Xiaopei Xu, and Shawn Xiangyun Lian for solo and piano four hands. Yun Yang, Yuang Shuang Wang, and Chu-Pei Lam will give the painting demonstrations.
For more information, please contact Cathy Chan at 617-968-7094 or jialintan58@gmail.com
“Tidelines” a photo exhibit by Vivien Goldman
Putterham Library: Wall Gallery
November 7 through December 24, 2019
“At the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and Nauset Inlet at ebb tide on the Outer Cape, the outgoing tide stencils mountain ranges and deserts on the sand, leaving strands of seaweed and small stones scattered in its wake. Just after sunrise or in the gloaming, the world transforms itself into other realities, every day, again and again, each day different from the last. It is a continual and endless re-creation of the world at low tide.
“I return to this land where the tide washes ashore every day and night, sweeping wide the sand between the marsh and dune. It is challenging to continually find the familiar landscape utterly remade. Perspective compels the eye to make sense of scale and of everyday familiar shapes that have been distorted by the tides. These images were all made at the same place between dunes and the tide at different hours of the day and different seasons of the year.” – Vivien Goldman
Vivien Goldman began her career as a large format black & white photographer, and several years ago incorporated color and digital technology into her practice. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally including the 4th Biennial of Fine Art and Documentary Photography in Berlin, Germany; the New York Photo Festival in Brooklyn, NY; and the Danforth Museum’s Community of Artists annual exhibition in Framingham, MA. She was a finalist in the 7th and 8th Annual Julia Margaret Cameron Competitions of Women Photographers. Vivien holds an MLIS degree from Simmons with a concentration in photographic archives. She is a trustee of the Public Library of Brookline.
For more information about Vivien’s photography, please go to: Viviengoldmanphotography.com and to contact her: viviengoldman@comcast.net
Brookline’s Sister City: Quezalguaque, Nicaragua
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case and the Wall Case
November 9, 2019 through January 16, 2020
Quezalguaque, Nicaragua has been the official Sister City of Brookline since 1987. Over the years, the Project has worked in the areas of health, education, and housing. The current display at the Brookline Village Library informs the residents of Brookline about the Sister City, highlights some its recent activities, and provides some educational facts about Nicaragua.
To learn more about the Brookline-Quezalguaque Sister City Project, please contact BrooklineSisterCity@gmail.com or go to: brooklinesistercity.org
Native American Heritage Month
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Lobby and Emery Cases
November 8 through December 5, 2019
November is Native American Heritage Month. The month is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native people. November is also an opportune time to learn more about tribes, the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, treaties, and the contributions Indigenous people have made to American government and culture.
The items displayed here are on loan from the North American Indian Center of Boston and Native American Lifelines of Boston, as well as individuals in the Native community.
About the North American Indian Center of Boston
As the oldest urban Indian center in Massachusetts, our mission is to empower the Native American community with the goal of improving the quality of life of Indigenous peoples.
NAICOB was originally established in 1969 as the Boston Indian Council, when it served as the hub of social and civil rights activities for the American Indian community in Boston. The center was later organized as the North American Indian Center of Boston, a nonprofit organization, in 1991. Since then, the center has served as a place for community, health services, wellness groups, job training, children’s and elders programming, ally and educator trainings, and much more.
All of NAICOB’s activities are supported by grants, individual donations, dedicated volunteers, and strong partnerships with other organizations. For more information on the North American Indian Center of Boston, please visit www.naicob.org or call (617) 232-0343.
About Native American Lifelines of Boston
Native American LifeLines, Inc. is a Title V Indian Health Services contracted Urban Indian Health Program serving the Baltimore and Boston metropolitan areas.
The Mission of Native American LifeLines is to promote health and social resiliency within Urban American Indian communities. Native American LifeLines applies principles of trauma informed care to provide culturally centered behavioral health, dental, outreach and referral services.
For more information Native American Lifelines of Boston, please visit
www.nativeamericanlifelines.org or call (857) 203-9680.
Indigenous author, Doris Marion Seale
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Preservation Case
November 1 through December 31, 2019
Doris Seale worked to ensure that Native Americans were represented authentically, respectfully, and accurately in literature, contributing to several collections pertaining to Indigenous representation in children’s literature. In 2001, she won the American Library Association’s Equality Award, which recognized her tireless efforts as a cultural educator and activist. She also co-founded Oyate, a Native American/American Indian advocacy and education organization. Doris was the Supervisor of Children’s Services at the Public Library of Brookline for 45 years, until her retirement in 2003. She died in 2017. Dawnland Voices, a website dedicated to highlighting indigenous writing from New England, published an in memoriam after her death.
To see more local history photos, manuscripts, and more, come visit the Brookline Room, check out the Library’s Digital Commonwealth collection, or make an appointment with the local history librarian.
Only at the Coolidge: Celebrating the history of a Brookline Cultural Institution
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery, Foundation and Lobby Cases
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
September 12 through November 6, 2019
Reception: Thursday, October 3, 6-8PM
This exhibit of photography and memorabilia celebrates the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation’s 30th anniversary as a nonprofit organization and honors the leaders who rallied to rescue the Theatre from demolition and envisioned a future for the Theatre as vibrant as its past.
The path to saving the Theatre was as fraught as the ‘Perils of Pauline’ and teetered on the brink of failure multiple times. The Theatre’s ownership passed through three different owners along the way. A grass roots “Campaign to Save the Coolidge,” all the more remarkable with no internet or social media, was modeled after political campaigns and included door-to-door distribution of leaflets, phone calls, actual soapbox speeches, and a human ‘hug around the building’.
Finally a one-year stay on development issued by the Brookline Historical Commission in recognition of the Theatre’s significant Art Deco architecture, provided the needed opening to create a plan for moving forward. The Campaign leaders’ relentlessness was driven by their passion for independent cinema, preserving the Art Deco Theatre, and the Theatre’s history as a beloved community institution. It was that perseverance and support which enabled the nonprofit Foundation to be established and succeed.
Today the “Coolidge,” as it lovingly referred to, is recognized as a premiere American nonprofit cinema and a leader in preserving and advancing film culture. Considered a national treasure by many independent filmmakers, actors, directors, and art house film fans, the Coolidge is renowned not only for its curated feature film programming, but also the organization’s innovative signature educational, cultural, and entertainment programs. The Coolidge is considered a leader among an organization of more than 150 art house cinemas across the country, many of which are expanding.
This exhibit includes more than 50 individual photographs and pieces of memorabilia from the years before and since the Foundation’s establishment. These include vintage advertisements from the very early years of the Theatre, “Save the Coolidge” Campaign memorabilia, and photographs and posters for milestone films and the Coolidge Award, which has honored such film artists as Meryl Streep, Viggo Mortensen, Werner Herzog, Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas and Julianne Moore.
Says Katherine Tallman, Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation Executive Director and CEO, “This Exhibit is a wonderful opportunity to look back at the long history of the Theatre and thank all those who fought to save it and gave the Theatre the chance to succeed and grow — as it has, perhaps beyond anyone’s imagination.” She adds, “Today, the more than 250,000 diverse patrons who come to the Theatre each year expect the wide array of entertaining, educational, and cultural experiences our programs offer, and they are excited to witness the Coolidge’s next chapter.”
There will also be a special reception at the Brookline Village Library to celebrate the Exhibit from 6-8PM on October 3, 2019 in Hunneman Hall.
Eliza Orne White
Books by a local Brookline author
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Our new exhibit case next to the book bike!
Ongoing
We have a new preservation-safe BV lobby case (UV light protected) featuring works from a local Brookline author, Eliza Orne White, who wrote books for children, and of those books, four of them were strictly about cats. “The lovely thing about imagination is that it defies time and bridges the gap between childhood and to what the uninitiated seems like age.”
A Lifetime Of Robots
From the collection of Roy MacKenzie
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
July 10 through September 8, 2019
“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.”
– Roy MacKenzie
It’s the Finest Kind
Collages by Jenny Rae Bailey
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
July 10 through September 8, 2019
They’re two guys hanging out. But they’re more than that.
I like it when something seems familiar and then doesn’t seem familiar. To me, subtly is everything. In my work as a collage artist, I decontextualize and reconstruct. My goal is to inspire a moment of contemplation and a smile in the viewer. This collection came together slowly over the course of a year and I believe it speaks for itself.
For more information about my work, or to purchase a piece, please contact me at jennyraebailey@gmail.com.
The Art of Mid-Century Advertisements
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Brookline 300 Case
July 5 through September 5, 2019
Revisit the past with a selection of advertisements from the 1940s and 1950s, taken from magazines in our closed stacks. The advertisements are featured in the back issues of magazines like Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping. Given the popular nature of print magazines in mid-century America, advertisements offer a unique look into cultural norms and expectations from this particular era.
To see more local history photos, manuscripts, and more, come visit the Brookline Room, check out the Library’s Digital Commonwealth collection, or make an appointment with the local history librarian.
Places: At Home and Afar
Jim Batchelor’s Paintings and Photos
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
June 20 through September 8, 2019
Reception: Thursday, July 11: 5:30-8PM
This set of paintings, photos and mixed media traces a series of places both close to home and more remote. They are places and scenes that have been meaningful to me both for their original interest and for their ability to inspire the efforts to photograph and paint them; they in some way convey my inner views of external worlds. Most but not all are real places. These paintings date back to before, and continue through, my career in architecture.
At Home
Scenes of places at or near home include the triple decker windows next door in Cambridge, back yards along a winter beach in Duxbury, and a vanishing era McDonalds in Quincy. Indoor scenes include a vacated office in Pittsfield, a luminous juke box, an imagined woman and stair and an imagined vignette of Bernard Malamud’s The Assistant.
Afar
In contrast with the near at hand are the more distant places such as Louisiana, Cuba and India. My knowledge of them is less intimate, but they have left their impact. Their remoteness is both intriguing and challenging; they often also represent the passage of time, another kind of distance.
Many of these paintings are mixed media. The presence of some building materials and the low relief in my mind impart a sense of inhabitability; the inclusion of some photos in mixed media pieces act as another kind of invitation into some of the places. A set of 4-photo panels show forests that have intrigued me. One shows the signs of selective cutting; another is recovering from fire. Making the paintings/photos is for me like an extended journey into a place—natural or man-made, enduring or in the throes of change.
Antiquarian Children’s Books
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Brookline 300 Case
May 9 through July 9, 2019
Eight rare, one-of-a-kind, and antique children’s books are on display in the glass case next to the study rooms. These books were published between 1852 and 1972 and range from authors like Louisa May Alcott to Randolph Caldecott, for whom the prestigious Caldecott Medal is named. They are graciously on loan from the Brookline Village Children’s Department for this display. The local history librarians and children’s librarians hope you enjoy viewing these gorgeously illustrated books.
To see more local history photos, manuscripts, and more, come visit the Brookline Room, or check out the Library’s Digital Commonwealth collection.
Brookline’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery, Lobby and Foundation Cases
May 1 through July 5, 2019
The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations, in collaboration with the Brookline Public Library, presents a two month exhibit on the Diversity of Brookline at the Brookline Village Library and in Town Hall. Beginning May 1st through the end of June, we will celebrate the diverse communities of Brookline by displaying cultural and significant items from Brookline residents who have loaned a piece of themselves and their history. During the month of May, the Office will display items to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month as well as information about the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations. In June the Office will display items to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month (Lobby) as well as items that speak to slavery (Emery). We hope you can stop by and maybe learn something new!
The library staff has placed an exhibit in the Foundation Case: LGBTQ in the Arts.
Masks and other creations by Mexican Artisans
From the Collection of Luis Carvajal
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
April 26 through May 31, 2019
“My name is Luis Carvajal and I was born in Mexico City. Although I have visited other countries, and have had the opportunity to live in several, I have always been interested in the culture of Mexico. In fact, whenever I’ve had the opportunity to travel to and throughout Mexico, I’ve never hesitated to do so. This has enabled me to become acquainted with the different crafts that have been created in many of its 32 states.
“The Mexican artisans of these states, articulate their cultures, ancestors and customs through their art in different ways, and during my travels, I have collected the wonderful and unique creations you see in this exhibit that represent many of these states, including: replicas of an array of masks used in Mexico since 3000 B.C., a Bust of Pakal the Great, a Jaguar Warrior, and a cross adorned with calla lilies. Many masks of the Devil are also on display, some with real goat horns. According to folklore, a shepherd on his way to visit baby Jesus was tempted by the Devil, and this mask is used during Christmas celebrations.
“My collection is larger but at least you get a sense of Mexico and the work of these artisans who, with their magical hands, have recreated the art of their ancestors, representing customs centuries old and keeping them alive for all of us to see.”
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to e-mail Luis: luis_carrom@yahoo.com
Lynn Osborn’s Works of Hand
Photographs of Brookline Businesses
Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
April 25 through June 12, 2019
Reception: Thursday, April 25, 5-7PM
“I have always enjoyed working with my hands and several years ago joined Feet of Clay, a pottery cooperative in Brookline Village. Being an architect, I was also interested in the industrial style brick buildings on Station Street that housed the pottery and a variety of other activities from the Puppet Showplace Theater to the John Payne Music School. I started taking pictures of the places I knew and discovered many other small independent businesses in town. This journey led me to combine several passions – documentary photography, hand crafts, and the architecture of older storefront buildings. Two themes are represented in my work – the human importance of people working with their hands and the value of small scale businesses that make neighborhoods vibrant. I hope, through my photographs, to highlight these places and encourage people to support them. There is a lot of history to our town, and lots to discover and appreciate.
For further information about my work, or interest in purchasing a print, contact me at lynncosborn@gmail.com
This exhibit is supported in part by a grant from the Brookline Commission for the Arts, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.”
– Lynn Osborn
Renaming the Coolidge Corner School: The 15 Semi-finalists
Presented by Hidden Brookline and the Coolidge Corner School Naming Committees
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
April 5 through 28, 2019
“Renaming the Coolidge Corner School” is on view in the lobby cases at the BV Library, includes information about the 15 semi-finalists, and asks you to fill out a ballot.
Brookline Open Studios Preview Show
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
March 7 through April 20, 2019
This year, Brookline Open Studios Weekend will be held Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28. Since 1986, Open Studios has been an annual springtime event, held in locations all over Brookline. The Brookline Open Studios Preview Show will be on view at the Brookline Village Library in the Foundation Case and Hunneman Hall from March 7 through April 20 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: Jon Amburg, Martin R. Anderson, Evelyn Berde, Cathie Brenner, Barry Briss, AE Browning, Martha Chason-Sokol, Li Chen, Madeline Fine, Susan Fredkin, Mary Gallagher, Ruth Ginsberg-Place, Susan Johnsen Harmon, Bette Ann Libby, Carolyn E. Lovit, Karina Mattei, Maryellen Moran, Peg O’Connell, Joseph Perkell, Karen Stern, Jori Ward, Sharon Whitham, Jodie Wigren, and Caren Zane.
Special thanks to the Brookline Arts Center for curating this show. For more information, go to: www.brooklineopenstudios.com.
Standing Strong at Feet of Clay: 45 Years of Clay in the Community
Presented by the Feet of Clay Artists
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
March 6 through April 3, 2019
See a mix of traditional and eclectic ceramics created by 31 Feet of Clay artists. Feet of Clay, a gem in the heart of Brookline Village, has been helping local artists find both their craft and voice since 1974. They now host more than 100 artists of all backgrounds and skill levels and are celebrating their 45th anniversary! This is a sneak peek of what you will see at their Spring Show from April 25 – May 5.
The Feet of Clay artists who created ceramics on display in this show are: Richard Barnum, Jenny Berz, Elizabeth Boates, Frank Caro, Patti Claflin, Jim Cooley, Isabella Darcie, Rebecca Davidson, Richard Gilson, Carolyn Henderson, Danielle Jurdan, Linda Kaplan, Erica Kirsners, Susan Kommit, Kate McGuire, Diane Nugent, Pamela Schoenberg Reider, Sonia Rolland, Debra Rose, Carolyn Rubin, Holly Sears, Christine Shadic, Michelle Stolzoff, Kevin Viens, Kingsley Weihe, Bohn Whitaker, Hiroko Williamson, Lindsay Withers, Kari Wojtanik, Jennifer Wyman, and Kimberly Zane.
Mongolia: Land of the Blue Sky
Curated by reference librarian, Cailey Biles
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
February 4 through March 4, 2019
“From 2015-2017 I lived and worked in Mongolia as a Peace Corps volunteer. My first year was spent living in a yurt in the Western province of Khovd and my second year was in the central city of Darkhan. Mongolia is a country that is used as inspiration in many stories but not many people know much about it besides the fact that it is the country where Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan) was born. I hope sharing some memories from my time there will offer library patrons some insight into the vast Land of the Blue Sky.” – Cailey Biles
Renaming the Coolidge Corner School
Presented by Hidden Brookline and the Coolidge Corner School Naming Committees
Coolidge Corner Library: Display Case
February 1 through 28, 2019
An exhibit addressing the renaming of the Coolidge Corner School is on view at the Coolidge Corner Library through the end of February.
Three Local Artists
Curated by the Brookline Commisssion for the Arts
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
January 10 through March 4, 2019
The Brookline Commission for the Arts has installed an exhibit in the Foundation Case featuring the work of three local artists: Madeline Fine (jewelry and note cards), Caren Zane Fishman (mosaics: artistry and installation), and Karina Mattei (jewelry and pottery). Their work will be on display through March 4.
To reach Madeline, call 617-335-4326 or e-mail: madeline@finecreations.org; to reach Caren, call 617-967-8140, e-mail: carenzanefishman@gmail.com, or go to: www.carenzanefishman.com; and to reach Karina, call 617-713-4450, e-mail: designer@karinamattei.com or go to: www.karinamattei.com
Books by and about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
From the collection of Arthur Wellington Conquest III
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: The Emery Case
January 4 through February 1, 2019
“28 August 1963, the day Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous I Have A Dream speech on the Mall in Washington, DC, I was 17 years old and working as a stock boy in a garment center factory in midtown Manhattan, NYC. One of the (White) garment cutters said to me as we listened on the shop’s radio to Dr. King’s historic presentation, “You don’t want to be down there (in Washington) with those trouble makers”.
“It wasn’t until long after Rev. Dr. King’s untimely assassination, 4 April 1968, that I began reading, studying and collecting books, memorabilia, pictures, and recordings by and about this great man’s unorthodox philosophy of nonviolent protests and demonstrations.
“No voice more clearly delineated the moral issues of the second half of the twentieth century and no vision more profoundly inspired people – from the American South to southern Africa, from the Berlin Wall to the Great Wall of China.
“I’ve learned so much from reading his books and books about this extraordinary man. Here are just a few of those books I have in my collection that have guided me towards liberation and social justice.” – Arthur Wellington Conquest III
Arthur Wellington Conquest III can be reached at AWCIII@Yahoo.com
Watercolors of Birds by Nelson Hammer
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
January 9 through March 4, 2019
Landscape Architect by trade, Nelson Hammer took up painting in watercolors again in 2014 after a 50-year hiatus, and with a few notable exceptions (i.e.,his three granddaughters), he has painted nothing but birds; 56 of them as of the exhibit here at the Brookline Public Library. All are based on photographs supplied by friends, relatives, professional photographers, and by himself. He strives for ornithological accuracy in his work, desiring to create finished products that are easily recognizable by anyone familiar with the species he has documented. And if someone comments “It looks like a photograph”, so much the better!
He favors birds-of-prey because so many of that ilk have fearsome looking eyes that demand attention when viewed. Eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls have thus all been his subjects, along with many colorful tropical species based on professional photography shot in Central and South America. One of his future goals is to capture many of the very common birds of this area (robins, pigeons, seagulls, and Canada Geese) that even young children will be able to recognize.
Painting as a hobby and not as a profession allows him to enjoy the process and not worry about deadlines.
He hopes you enjoy his work as much as he enjoys creating it!
To contact Nelson Hammer, call 781-771-0845 or go to: www.artforthebirds.com
Small Quilts by Cynthia Snow
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Foundation Cases
December 4, 2018 through January 1, 2019
Brookline quilter Cynthia Snow has been making quilts since 1968, starting with a full-size bed quilt based on a pattern ordered from the newspaper. It was made entirely by hand and took three years to complete. Since then, she has made many quilts ranging from bed quilts of various sizes to wall-hangings, pillows, potholders and postcard-size pieces. Many of her quilts now use a combination of hand- and machine sewing. Making small quilts, such as those exhibited here, has proven to be a delightful and useful way to explore new designs, techniques and color combinations as well as to use up fabric scraps. “The inspiration for my work comes from a variety of sources: patterns published in books and magazines, photographs, the work of other quilters and artists and from the fabric itself. Much of my work is now of original design. It is a joy to work with fabric, the textures and colors of which make possible many intriguing combinations.” She can be reached at csnow2@verizon.net.
Sue Yang & Students-Artists
Brookline Village Library, Second Floor: The Gallery in Hunneman Hall
November 9, 2018 through January 5, 2019
Opening Reception: Saturday, Nov. 10 from 2-4PM
Artists’ Talk and Closing Reception: Saturday, Jan. 5 from 2-3PM
A joint art exhibition of Sue Yang and her students-artists will open at the Brookline Village Library in Hunneman Hall on Saturday, Nov. 10 with a reception from 2-4PM. All are welcome to attend. The fifteen participants include Sue, her MFA and SMFA students as well as private students, and they are: Ariane Agnew, Mark Buirke, Betsy Clarke, Ch Fitch, Jun Ding, Rosanne DiStefano, Carol Green, Joan Kelley, Lauren Kiraly, Cynthia Samoiloff, Julia Stephan, Marguerite Wibaux, Ed Wong, and Fion Yam. More than 40 show pieces will be featured, exploring a variety of artwork: ink, ink and watercolor, acrylic and mixed media, print on paper, and acrylic on canvas from traditional Chinese inspirations to more contemporary interpretations. The exhibit will close Saturday, Jan. 5 with an Artists’ Talk from 2-3PM.
Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the End of WWI: November 11, 1918-November 11, 2018
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Emery and Lobby Cases
November 1 through November 30, 2018
On view in the Lobby Case are items that belonged to Paul Healy, a US Infantryman, who served as a courier behind enemy lines in World War I on the battlefields of France. He was from Lowell, MA.
In the Emery Case, there is a sample of the postal history of Indochina in World War I. It’s from the collection of Gary D. Jones, Library Trustee and Indochina Society Philatelist member.
World War I was a global war centered in Europe that began July 28, 1914 and lasted until November 11, 1918. More than 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians died as a result of the war, one of the deadliest in history. European nations with colonies drafted men from their colonies into the conflict. France was one of these nations. The Indochina soldiers’ training served them well, when Japan later occupied Indochina as well as when these soldiers fought the French for their own freedom.
A total of 92,411 Vietnamese men from French Indochina were in the service of France in Europe. They were put into the following formations from which around 3,000 died.
- 4,800 belonging to 5 combat battalions
- 24,000 belonging to 15 transit battalions
- 9,019 colonial medical staff
- 48,981 colonial laborers
With the outbreak of World War I, those serving in the military serving in Europe as well as in Indochina were granted the free franchise for personal letters. The franchise lasted from August 2, 1914 through October 23, 1919. A manuscript marking such as “Correspondance Militaire” along with a cachet of sender’s unit characterizes military letters of this period. There were no special military post offices in Indochina during World War I.
This exhibit shows a sample of that military postal history.
Marcela Klicova Pottery
Brookline Village Library, First Floor: Foundation Case
October 30 through November 28, 2018
Brookline artist, Marcela Klicova, who works out of Mudflat Studio in Somerville, creates organic, handmade ceramics that are now on view in the Foundation Case at the Brookline Village Library. “I use dark stoneware fired at cone 10. All my vessels are functional and hand built, mostly using the coil method (producing a denser, more durable piece), with simple decoration and earth-toned glazes.”
For more information, go to: marcelaklicovapottery.blogspot.com To reach Marcela, call: 617-817-2766 or email her: marcela.klicova@gmail.com
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 28, 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 Perkell, 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 inner lobby near to the DVD collection
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.