The Journey
Fragments of Us began with a simple idea:
What if the most personal stories, be it of love, loss, change, or resilience, could be transformed into art?
We invited the community to share pieces of themselves: A love that changed. A goodbye that lingered.
Our community responded. People shared fragments of themselves. People shared letters, photos, short written memories, poems, small objects, voice notes, and other pieces that held meaning. Together, these fragments form a moving portrait of our shared experience as a society.
These stories are intimate yet universal, and remind us that we are not alone.
Fragments of Us turned a small question into a large act of listening. It created spaces for sharing and for being seen. It offered students a rare, real world assignment to translate community voices into art. It gave artists new material to work with and audiences new ways to reflect on their own lives. And it turned the library into a place of memory and conversation
This spring, the project came alive in Plano’s Public Libraries at the Spark Space Wall, where visitors could step into interactive installations and engage directly with the theme.
Rituals from around the world invited reflection on how we mark change, grief, and healing.
Interactive games with children using global art form to communicate, emote and express.
A bamboo tree of wishes offered a place to write one's hopes and memory jars capturing emotions!
Your Chance to Connect!
The beauty of Fragments of Us lies in how these stories keep transforming. What began as words and memories from our community has grown into spaces you can walk through, objects you can touch, and performances you can feel. Each stage of the journey offers a different way to experience the fragments: sometimes quietly, through reflection, and sometimes powerfully, through art brought to life. Here’s where you can step into the story:
Gallery Exhibition at the Collin College Art Gallery, Plano
Date: October 8-29 | Open to all
Address : 2800 E Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, TX
This exhibit displays real stories submitted by the community, compiled by the students of Collin College. The exhibit also features a special art installation ' Pieces of Us' by artist Olivia Ogren-Hrejsa, alongside works curated by Collin College students. This immersive installation brings together community artifacts, photography, video, and found materials, exploring memory, time, and legacy.
Witness the Stories!
Gallery Reception at the Collin College Art Gallery, Plano
Date: October 12 | 4:30 pm | Open to all
Address : 2800 E Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, TX
This evening is all about celebrating the artists and students behind the exhibit, the community that shared such personal stories, and finding a space to reflect, heal and experience. Filled with talks, discussions and more, this is a chance to get close to the art, the artists and their inspiration.
Meet the Artists!
Experience the Stories!
Multidisciplinary Performance at Bridges 2025
Date: October 18 | 6:30 pm | Ticketed
Address: Courtyard Theatre, 1509 H Ave, Plano, TX
Seven phenomenal DFW artists will collaborate and create an original work inspired by the stories of the submissions from the Fragment of Us initiative. The evening also features a special multidisciplinary performance students of the music, dance and theatre departments of the Collin College.
Why It Matters
We believe art begins with real stories.
Relationships shape us in ways we don’t always understand. When they shift or break, they leave behind fragments - moments, memories, emotions.
Through Fragments of Us, we invited our community to process and share these fragments — not in isolation, but together. By transforming stories into performance, we aim to create space for empathy, reflection, and collective healing.
Art is nothing without community. And here, you are part of the creation and the outcome. This is a space built for connection, where stories are shared, conversations spark, and collective experiences heal. A space where you can show up just as you are, knowing you’re not alone.
We welcome to join us, experience this journey with us!
Your presence matters.
Your support matters.
For it is your memories that inspires art.
In Partnership With
.png)