The Hands Project
The Hands Project - 2023-2026
The Hands Project: Celebrating the Hands That Shape Our Community.
The Hands Project is a long-term community art initiative created by Charlotte-based artist Lee Ko.
Over the course of this project, 100 artists and supporters will have their hands cast — forming a collective portrait of the creative spirit of this city.
Together, these hands will stand as a tribute to creativity, community, and a lasting cycle of giving back.
Story in Brief
The Hands Project grew naturally from Lee Ko’s long-standing sculptural practice of hand and foot casting, which began in 2007 with the birth of her first child. What started as a way to preserve fleeting moments of her children’s early years slowly evolved into a deeper exploration of touch, memory, and the passage of time.
In 2022, inspired by Eva Crawford’s “Your Good Neighborhood” exhibition, Ko began reimagining the practice as a way to honor Charlotte’s creative community. The first cast was made on December 29, 2022 — with Eva herself.
After a year of quiet development, the project formally expanded in 2024 and continues to grow. The vision is to complete 100 castings and present them together in a future exhibition.
Exhibition Plan
The completed collection of 100 hands will be presented in a public exhibition.
The project is currently in active conversation with several potential exhibition partners. Venue details will be shared once plans are formally finalized.
Vision
Looking ahead, The Hands Project is envisioned as a living collective archive — one that can be preserved and shared with the wider community.
Over time, stewardship of the collection will ensure that its impact continues within Charlotte, supporting both foster and adoption services for children and strengthening the local artist community.
In this way, the project becomes more than a record of hands.
It becomes a lasting cycle of creativity, generosity, and shared responsibility.
The Hands Project in the Press
The Hands Project has received editorial coverage across local arts and broadcast media, reflecting its growing presence within Charlotte’s creative community.
Click the images below to view the full features.
The Process
The Hands Project is a community-rooted art initiative conceived and led by artist Lee Ko.
Each participant takes part in an individual casting session at Ko’s studio, where a mold of their hand is created as a lasting record of presence, labor, and creative contribution. Through this process, the hand becomes both a personal imprint and a shared gesture within a larger collective work.
While Ko completes the sculptural casting, participants contribute their own creative voice by designing a personalized back panel using collage, drawing, photography, or meaningful imagery. In this way, each participant becomes an active collaborator in the creation of the final artwork.
Together, these works form a growing collective portrait of Charlotte’s diverse creative community — documenting the relationships, experiences, and shared creative labor that shape the cultural landscape of the city.
Each casting exists both as an individual artwork and as part of a larger archival installation, reinforcing the project’s long-term vision as a living community collection.
The 100 Hands
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© 2023-2026 Hands On Well and The Hands Project. All rights reserved.
All sculptures, molds, casts, and related works created through this project remain part of The Hands Project collection. This ensures the works may be preserved and shared in their entirety for exhibition, educational, and archival purposes.
While community collaboration and support are deeply valued, the artistic direction, production, and stewardship of The Hands Project remain under the leadership of Lee Ko through Hands On Well.Hands On Well is not responsible for personal injury or damage to personal property during participation. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
**This project is supported through in-kind contributions from the following partners:
Implement Legal — Legal guidance and protection
LOSO Studio — workspace and project coordination
