Selfie Inversion, 2024

In the creation of "Selfie Inversion," Edgar Fabián Frías draws inspiration from the profound symbolism of the Nierika, a sacred technology embraced by the Wixárika community. As a descendant of this rich cultural heritage, Frías explores the concept of self-portraiture through the lens of the Nierika, viewing it as an internal map that reveals the intricate landscapes within them.

The Nierika, revered as maps of the universe, serve as portals for ancestral communion and divining tools within the Wixárika tradition. These sacred technologies not only assist in wayfinding within the physical world but also play a pivotal role in facilitating multidimensional and transtemporal communion. Maps, which were once tools used by colonial powers for surveillance, land theft, and borders, are transformed into tools for contemplation, imagination, and world building.

"Selfie Inversion" is a self-portrait crafted in the spirit of the Nierika. Through intricate symbolism and visual storytelling, the artwork functions as a gateway to Frías's internal universe—a reflection of the interconnected threads that weave through their identity. Much like the Wixárika use Nierika to create cosmologies and ontologies, Frías employs this sacred technology to navigate the intricate tapestry of their own reality.

In this piece, the act of taking a selfie is transformed into a ritual, a form of introspective divination. The inversion of the selfie format becomes a metaphorical mirror, reflecting not just physical features but the hidden dimensions of Frías's thoughts, emotions, and experiences. The Nierika serves as a guiding principle, inviting viewers to explore the layers beneath the surface and discover the intricate interplay between the personal and the cosmic. As within so without. As above so below. As the Universe, the soul.

This artwork was released as an edition of 10 + 1 AP on Foundation as a part of the Superchief Gallery NFT exhibition “Junk Drawer” curated by Emil Bean. Documentation of this artwork in the exhibition is by Edward Zipco & Superchief Gallery NFT.