Tear & Repair

Tear and Repair presents the personal narratives of five women affected by sexual exploitation. In partnership with Azalea Luton, artist Nicola Moody led a series of workshops exploring how textile processes and techniques can be used to express emotions and experiences that are otherwise difficult to convey. Through these sessions, textile methods became a way for participants to share their stories, and Nicola Moody translated their experiences into woven pieces that drew on metaphors associated with cloth, such as wearing thin, fraying at the edges, holes appearing, knots and tangles. These ideas were physically embodied in the work, which, together with a film and a large community weave, toured around the UK, visiting ten cathedrals from 2020 to 2022.

Journeying

Journeying begins with soft, fluffy pink threads, and heart shapes appear in the pattern. Gradually, green threads are introduced; sometimes the pink dominates, sometimes the green. This push and pull between green and pink continues for some time. Eventually, the pink disappears. The green remains for a while, but black and brown threads become more dominant. Knots, holes, and frayed areas emerge. In some sections, the tangles and holes are intense; in others, the weaving is relatively even and uninterrupted. At key points, many threads wear away, leaving exposed and vulnerable areas, yet the weaving continues to grow.

Getting Clean

Getting clean begins with many knots and tangles, using a dark, rough brown yarn. The brown represents heroin. Gradually, white yarn is introduced, symbolizing cocaine. The weaving becomes a mix of white and brown. Suddenly, the brown is discarded and green appears in the weave, representing methadone. The weaving shifts to a combination of white and green. Then the white is dramatically removed, leaving the green to build up. Eventually, the green is discarded, though it lingers in the fabric. The fabric remains thin and fragile until the green completely disappears. Only then does the weaving become stable and solid, with pink and red threads introduced.

Imbalance

Imbalance begins with a dark patch. As the weaving progresses, one side remains relatively empty while the other becomes densely packed. At times, the dense area advances into the empty space. In some sections, there is muddle with knots and tangles. In one area, clumps of loose ends hang, threads left unwoven. The middle section remains open and vulnerable. Eventually, the weaving grows more consistent, united, predictable and solid.

Digging Deep

Digging deep begins with a consistent weave and an even rhythm. A hole appears, a huge gap, something is missing. The weaving continues, but it is thin and fragile, and the structure is more exposed. For a short time, the weaving becomes more consistent, but another hole forms, surrounded by loose ends and frayed edges. As the weave continues, many red threads are introduced. A third hole appears, and after this, the weaving becomes thinner, delicate, and weak. Eventually, the weaving grows more consistent, the red threads return, and the pattern becomes balanced, consistent, and strong.

Black and Blue

Black and blue begins with a consistent, even, solid weave. Black yarn is introduced from both sides, squeezing the blue yarn. The blue moves in one direction and then another, its presence in the fabric becoming smaller. In one section, it wraps around just a couple of threads, trapped between the black. The thin blue line continues to be pushed and pulled in different directions. Eventually, both black threads are removed. The blue section remains, but it is very thin and lacks support. Gradually, threads build up, the blue yarn becomes dominant, and the weaving grows balanced, dense, and strong.

Black and Blue