A Sliver of Us
2026
A Sliver of Us, a collage series by Nansong Ho.
A Sliver of Us, 2026
Acrylic and mixed media on wood, 60.6 × 80.3 × 2.6 cm
Are we really so different on the inside? When the layers of identity and appearance are peeled away, the way we experience love is actually very much alike. Love exists not only in intimate relationships, but also in a small act of kindness between strangers, or a heartfelt "thank you." I translated this shared feeling into a collection of heart shapes. I chose clothing and leather bags that had once been worn, held, and carried close. They had been close to someone's body, part of someone's everyday life. Some are soft, some smooth, some rough; some have stripes, polka dots, seams, or tiny gaps. Like different people, each carries traces of a life lived. I have long been thinking about the relationships between people. They are always a little ambiguous, constantly shifting and changing. I deliberately arranged the position of each heart— letting them come close, overlap, and press against one another, while leaving space between them. As if they had grown naturally, connected to one another, yet each existing on its own. I chose silver as the ground for these hearts. Its surface catches the surrounding light, taking on different sheens as the light changes. Light scatters across it, leaving no clear image. Much like the relationships between us— we may never truly see one another clearly, yet we can still feel the warmth and colors they leave behind. And in my imagination, this expanse of silver does not end at the edges of the work. It stretches endlessly in every direction. Countless hearts draw close, cross paths, and drift apart, forming new connections along the way. No one knows who they will meet next. I have captured only a small fragment of this world, at a single moment in time. A sliver of us.