Opening Reception - Alia El-Bermani "Perennial" and Bryant Holsenbeck "Birds Among Us"

Join the opening reception of Alia El-Bermani "Perennial" and Bryant Holsenbeck "Birds Among Us"

Perennial reflects Alia El-Bermani’s practice of close observation, bringing together figurative works and botanical paintings created through sustained attention to life. Her compositions unfold slowly over hours and weeks, shaped by presence and care, whether capturing the quiet complexity of a plant, or the essence of a sitter. Painted in oil on copper—a surface with a long history in painting—the works carry a quiet stillness and subtle luminosity, reflecting her interest in material, time, and the act of looking.

At the center of the exhibition is a collaborative series of portraits depicting notable North Carolina–based artists, each developed through extended sittings from life and presented as tondos, or circular paintings. The format recalls medallions and coins, long associated with marking value and recognition, subtly elevating each sitter. Once the initial portrait is complete, El-Bermani invites each artist to leave their own mark on the work. This exchange brings multiple voices into a single image, turning each portrait into a shared process. In doing so, the works not only document her peers but also reflect the dialogue, connection, and community that shape them.

On view in the upstairs gallery is Bryant Holsenbeck’s A Shimmer, A Charm, A Murder: Birds Among Us. The exhibition focuses on birds she encounters in backyards, along the Eno, and across the coast and mountains. She observes these creatures with curiosity and gratitude, seeking to know them more deeply. Working with reclaimed materials such as plastic and fabric, Holsenbeck assembles each sculpture through a process akin to nest-making, transforming discarded fragments into forms that capture the individuality, vitality, and presence of these often-overlooked animals. From a murmuration of starlings to a shimmer of hummingbirds, her work evokes the movement, energy, and character of the birds that live among us.