Inspired by conversations about the visas awarded to “aliens of extraordinary ability” and other merit-based immigration policies, Alien vs. Citizen considers how an individual’s value is understood in relationship to community. The exhibition asks us to think about the way a person’s value is determined in the United States, through mechanisms including citizenship, work, and personal relationships. The artworks are organized around these three ways of estimating worth, inviting us to consider the cultural biases embedded in each.

The exhibition is organized by Interim Senior Curator January Parkos Arnall with Line Ajan, Barjeel Global Fellow. It is presented in the Sylvia Neil and Daniel Fischel Galleries on the museum’s second floor.