Momoka Gomi

Studio C1

As a hands-on designer and maker, Momoka Gomi is fascinated by the skill of weaving. This slow-evolving process mimics our lives; we get wiser and more beautiful as time passes, and that shapes who we are. It is the same for the woven fabric; each living thread contributes to its individual character.

At the core of her practice, there is an interest in memory. She finds inspiration in how memory is recollected in our brains and decays over time. She primarily works with cotton yarn and denim fabric. Momoka uses bleach and sandpaper to replicate the time impact on its surface. The distressing process makes each fabric unique; it creates a colour flow that is never the same twice. Colours are often subtle, fading textures, eroded in places to represent our life stories. She learnt the value of textiles through her Kimono dresser training, how precious a piece of fabric is, and how multifunctional it can be with great care. Her works are sometimes wall panels or hangings to decorate the space; other times, they are wearable pieces like long jackets and dresses that can be passed to the next generation.

Momoka studied an MA in Textile Design & Innovation at Nottingham Trent University (2015) and BA (Hons) in Traditional Craft in Textile at Musashino Art University (2013). She had a residency in rural China for 2 weeks to learn from their craft skills and develop her own products, BLUE project (2016). After being selected to the Hothouse programme in 2019, she exhibited her work at OXO tower as part of London Craft Week, London; New Year In, London; and Open ATERIE, Brighton (2022).