Bayda Asbridge has a solo exhibition, “Hold Me Tender,” at JMAC Gallery in Worcester, MA.

The show runs through Sunday, October 26, 2025.

Asbridge says:

“As an American artist with roots in the Middle East, my work explores identity, displacement, and belonging.

This series of boat sculptures reflects our tumultuous life journeys, the grief of exile, and the fragile hope of sanctuary.

The boats—sometimes vessels of refuge, sometimes coffins—are embraced by birch branches, whose forms evoke

tender arms offering safety. Natural materials, muted colors, and woven textures root the work in both fragility and resilience.

Suspended, fractured, or shrouded, each piece tells its own story, yet together they create an atmosphere of mourning and

compassion. With the sound of rough seas and the image of shifting skies, the installation invites viewers to bear witness

to loss while holding space for healing and shared humanity.

Step out of your shoes and into the sand—feel the earth beneath your feet as part of the journey.”