Beverly Branch hosts an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month art exhibit through the month of May featuring artist Susie Xiong.
Born in Chengdu, China, Susie immigrated to the United States when she was four to join her parents in Bridgeport. After teaching public school art for over four years, she took on the name InsomniaBird and began creating art out of her apartment. Drawing from her education background, InsomniaBird believes the visual arts are a form of everyday expression and should be accessible to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Her artwork utilizes acrylic and ink and features a reoccurring, large-eyed bird symbolizing freedom, identity, home, and immigration. The pose, color, and background of each bird reflects an internal state, and hope in the face of a changing world. InsomniaBird’s pieces are influenced by street art, surrealism, and the Japanese kawaii, or cute, style.
