Painting with blocks of bright colors on the bottom and left side, and a mess of colors on the right side. There are three figures in the foreground, two of whom are in top hats and standing incredibly close to each other.

Visionary Boston

The work of John Brook, Steven Trefonides, and Kahlil Gibran all grapple with our desire to see the unseen. The artistic experimentation among these artists fed into the mystical, imaginative, and otherworldly subject matter that permeates much of the work in this exhibition. Visionary Boston offers a closer look at the work of three artists and their contemporaries who were a part of defining the Boston art world mid-century, who worked fervently to translate their visions into something tangible, and whose works reflect their mutual influences—both historical and contemporary. Visionary Boston is an exhibition about artistic relationships, shared visions, and the fluid boundaries between artistic mediums.

Dates: February 18 - June 4, 2023
Participating artists: John Brook, Steven Trefonides, and Kahlil Gibran
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Red-orange background with a large hand holding up a very small baby in a white onesie.
Barbara Swan, Baby (Aaron at Four Months) , 1955, Oil on canvas
Drawing of two girls, black and white in front of a red background. The girls are in big dresses and wearing crowns. They are standing still looking out at the audience.
Steven Trefonides, Sisters (Alexa and Jessica) , 1967, Charcoal, conte crayon on paper
Drawing of a messy landscape with green-blue grass. To the bottom right is a small baby crawling away from the messy background.
Steven Trefonides, The Baby , 1986, Pastel on paper
Photograph of a tunnel that leads down with a short ceiling, with two children walking down, one with a bowl on their head. On top of the tunnel is a tree and two figures sitting.
Steven Trefonides, Untitled (Madras, India) , 1959, Gelatin silver print on art board
Black and white photo of two women seated back to back, eating food.
Steven Trefonides, Untitled (Two Women Eating Back-to-back) , c. 1960s, Vintage gelatin silver photograph on art board
Color photograph of feather like shapes with purple at the bottom center, green in the center, leading up to yellows and oranges.
John Brook, Untitled (Abstract Landscape) , c. 1970s, printed in 2019, On loan from the John Brook Archive
Photograph of a folding screen with molted red-pinks on top and pink-purples on the bottom, Just below center are strips of landscapes with simple house shapes throughout.
Steven Trefonides, Untitled (“Village” Screen) , c. 2013, Oil on board
Drawing of a mans face with closed eyes and a long nose. Beyond his face, the image fades out.
Kahlil Gibran, Self-Portrait , 1988, Gouache, graphite on paper
Hazy black and white photograph with leaning in trees creating a rough path. In the path is a woman walking away, with long black hair.
John Brook, Untitled , 1960, Gelatin silver print
Bronze statue on a square base of a human face, bald, with closed eyes and a slightly opened mouth.
Kahlil Gibran, Citizen , 1990, Cast bronze, wood
Drawing with a hazy look of a woman, nude, standing behind a table with flowers in vases on top. The woman has her hands up, combing her short wavy hair.
Kahlil Gibran, Reflections in an Antique Mirror , 1971, Graphite, charcoal on paper
Painting with blocks of bright colors on the bottom and left side, and a mess of colors on the right side. There are three figures in the foreground, two of whom are in top hats and standing incredibly close to each other.
Steven Trefonides, Triple Threat (1) , 1990, Oil on canvas
Black and white photograph at a glass building corner. There is a wide sidewalk with a woman holding a child's hand looking back at two older women arm in arm smiling at the young girl.
Steven Trefonides, Untitled, (Newbury Street view, Boston) , c. 1960's, Gelatin silver print
Painting of a wide green lawn with a plain pink house behind some trees in the background. In the foreground are several people in 19th century clothing, one holding a looking glass.
Steven Trefonides, Through a Glass Slightly , 1979, Oil on canvas