The John and Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art at the University of Nevada, Reno is pleased to present “THE COUNTER/SELF,” an exhibition that brings together a diverse group of Indigenous and diasporic Canadian and American artists who create imaginative alter-egos to examine, perform and subvert identity constructs.

The exhibition will be on display at The Lilley from Feb. 29 to June 1, 2024, with an opening reception on Thursday, Feb. 29 and a curatorial tour on March 2.

Curated by Mona Filip, “THE COUNTER/SELF” features new and existing works by artists 2Fik, Adriana Chavez, Helio Eudoro, Julius Poncelet Manapul, Meryl McMaster, Sasha Shevchenko, Adrian Stimson, Stacey Tyrell, Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory and Jamie Griffiths.

Navigating the complexities of selfhood, agency and representation, artists in the exhibition transform their appearance and stage complex images, videos and installations that expose and disrupt prejudices with regards to gender, race, ethnicity and nationhood.

“I am thrilled to bring these artists and this show to Reno because of some of the universal messages in the exhibition,” Stephanie Gibson, director of The Lilley, said. “In their own unique ways – sometimes sad and traumatic, sometimes funny and irreverent – these artists probe the nature of identity and belonging. They unpack questions of nationhood, affiliations and community, and call attention to issues of racism, colonialism, and prejudice. In a fractured world, spending time with art that probes these questions can be a transformative experience. I invite everyone to visit this exhibition and participate in the conversation.”

In 2023, “THE COUNTER/SELF” was awarded the Best Exhibition at the Ontario Galleries Awards.

“The Lilley Museum of Art is very fortunate to host artists of such caliber at the museum this spring,” Gibson said. “This award-winning exhibition features some of the most interesting and lauded artists working in North America today.”

The circulation of “THE COUNTER/SELF” is organized by the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, Canada. Funding for this exhibition comes from the College of Liberal Arts Hilliard Endowment, the City of Reno Arts and Culture Commission and Nevada Arts Council.