Strange undulating sounds emanated from the Lilley Museum of Art last week. A deep drone from the strum of a guitar, repetitive raps on a wooden platform and a symphony of strings and melodies amid waves of silence filled the space, punctuated by the occasional giggle or laugh from participants inside. The atmosphere was melodic and curious, more like a symphony orchestra’s rehearsal room than a traditional art museum.

This immersive sonic environment was created by artist-in-residence Naama Tsabar, in collaboration with a team of musicians for a site-specific performance at the Lilley Museum of Art.

Composed and performed by Ruby Barrientos, Sophie Duvall (Biochemistry and Music ‘26), Jonesy, Sarah Strauss, Naama Tsabar and Karlie Watson (MA Philosophy ’25), the performances offered two rare 30-minute presentations on Wednesday, Oct. 1 and Thursday, Oct. 2.

While the live performances have passed, the exhibition remains open Tuesday through Saturday and continues to invite exploration and interaction.

Naama Tsabar’s work is part of “To Hold a Form: Art with Sound in the Work of Jennie C. Jones, LaRissa Rogers and Naama Tsabar,” an original curatorial project by Executive Director and Chief Curator Stephanie Gibson. The exhibition brings together three artists whose work explores the transformative power of sound, silence and bodily presence.

Tsabar creates pieces that exist simultaneously as sculpture, wall art and musical instrument. Using piano wire, sound equipment and soft materials like felt, her works are designed to be activated by touch. Since the exhibition opened in August, visitors and students alike have entered the gallery with curiosity; many discovering, to their surprise, that they are invited to touch and play Tsabar’s imposing felt wall pieces. The taut piano wires, strung across the surfaces, respond to touch with sound, challenging the traditional "look but don’t touch" norms of museum-going.

“I love art that surprises,” says Museum Director Stephanie Gibson. “When we get a chance to interact with art and objects in a new way, it opens the possibility for thinking about the world in a new way, too. Naama’s art practice is one of collaboration and pushing back against traditions on how we should behave. It’s a blueprint for living.”

Sophie Duvall, a University of Nevada, Reno Honors College student studying applied cello performance and biochemistry (’26), reflected on the experience:

“Naama's works have materialized factors to music I've only subconsciously dealt with since starting as a string musician: tension, length, weight and distance. I've had to deliberate over how I interact with myself and everything around me to create sound and music using these fundamental factors, which has been very freeing to me.”

“The most freeing part of this experience was collaborating with Naama's team and some of the most creative people in Reno to create music and sound that didn't exist before we all gathered in Naama's exhibit this past week,” she said. These special and surprising pieces are created and composed by Ruby Barrientos, Sophie Duvall, Jonesy, Sarah Strauss, Naama Tsabar and Karlie Watson.

Though the performances have concluded, visitors are still welcome to experience the exhibition, explore Tsabar’s work and even engage with the interactive elements. A documentary film about the performance is being created by Reynolds School of Journalism student, Sara Ewing (’26)

The exhibition is free and open to the public. The Lilley Museum of Art is open Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 4 p.m. For more information on programs and events, visit The Lilley's website.

Founded in 1971 and renamed in 2019, the John and Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art houses a permanent collection of approximately 3,000 works. Through exhibitions like “To Hold a Form”, the Lilley Museum of Art advances the University’s educational mission by fostering dialogue, experimentation and critical inquiry through the visual arts.