Non Solus, 2015-2025, 17,882 real and imitation pearls sent to me by 166 people and from my own collection, silk thread, 11 x 10 x 9 in. Images: Josef Jacques

Non Solus

I started Non Solus while living in Iceland in 2015; the idea, in part, came from a participatory piece I had made the year before involving friends. For Non Solus, I broadened the participation from close friends to anyone and everyone. I asked for pearls, real or imitation, and 147 people responded with 10,645 pearls, much to my astonishment. I never imagined that response. I thought I would make a sculpture the size of my fist, but instead, I created a piece that weighed over 7 1/2 lbs. The pearls I received were special and many people wrote letters describing their donation and why they were giving it to me. I shed many tears as people shared memories of love and loss. I was also constantly humbled and gratified. I continued to work on the piece over the course of ten years, adding more pearls from more people as time went on.

Non solus means “never alone” in Latin. I chose this title because I see this object as a fictitious body organ with a function to create feelings of connection and to help us feel never alone, even if we are. Scientific names for organs are often in Latin, so “non solus” is fitting.

Since the beginning, the piece has expanded to include 17,882 pearls from 166 people as well as about 500 of my own. I completed the piece in February 2025.