FROM THE FRAGMENT TO THE WHOLE
A socially engaged art project that explores glass as a metaphor for surviving domestic abuse.
From the Fragment to the Whole 2026 – Coventry Cathedral Art Residency
Since 2019, From the Fragment to the Whole has explored resilience, voice and creative transformation through glass. This latest iteration, in collaboration with Coventry Cathedral and Coventry Haven Women’s Aid, and with the generous support of Bullseye Glass Co., brings the project into a new chapter, honouring the stories of women survivors of domestic abuse and transforming their experiences into luminous artworks.
Creating with Survivors
I have recently completed a four-week art residency at Coventry Cathedral, where I facilitated workshops with local women survivors of domestic abuse. Together, we created new works that now form part of the growing collection of this project.
Each day brought a new encounter with a remarkable woman – an intimate one-to-one space where lived experiences were shared, witnessed and translated into powerful glass works.
It has been a profoundly heartwarming and transformative experience – connecting with women, sharing stories, and allowing glass itself to act as a material collaborator in the process of interpreting and reflecting on lived experience of surviving abuse.
“I’d had a picture of my heart as having a room full of broken glass which I’d kept tight shut. Now the room of broken glass is open – at first I just wanted to sweep it out as quickly as possible. Then I saw that it was to be made into a beautiful window.
The broken glass is the past pain I haven’t wanted to face, acknowledge, feel.”
– Margaret, participant.
The Cathedral as Collaborator
In the Cathedral’s vestry and lower chambers – spaces of preparation and transformation – beneath the watchful gaze of its former Deans, we smashed glass. From fragments, we created powerful and striking artworks.
The cracks were not hidden; they were honoured. They became visible testimonies of resilience, survival and strength. The work itself offers a sense of reverence, making its creation within the Cathedral both fitting and deeply meaningful.
A Feast of Colour
We are now finalising the fourth exhibition of From the Fragment to the Whole, which will soon open to the public in the beautiful Chapel of Industry – now renamed the Chapel of Christ the Servant – within Coventry Cathedral.
I cannot wait to see the stunning glasswork installed in the round chapel, lit from top to bottom and all around by natural daylight. Surrounded by clear glass from floor to soaring ceiling, the setting will allow the works to glow in their full intensity.
The exciting range of rich colours – pinks and violets, reds and orange hues, warm and bright tones – adds a vibrant and luminous gradient to the collection. It will be a true feast for the eyes.
I am deeply grateful to Bullseye Glass Co. for their generous sponsorship, providing glass for this project and enabling new colours to become part of the collection. Their support has expanded the expressive range of the work, allowing these powerful stories to be carried in ever richer tones.
Follow-up Workshops
We are now actively raising funds to offer a series of follow-up group workshops for the participants of this project. These sessions provide an opportunity to consolidate and transform difficult experiences into creative and inspiring outcomes, balancing challenging emotions with humour and the sense of freedom that comes from working with materials.
With your support, we can offer participants – often mothers caring for the next generation – an invaluable space to reflect, feel supported, and continue reshaping the narrative of their experiences in a positive and empowering way.
“The follow-up workshops helped me reflect on my journey and find moments of humour and freedom in creating with materials. It was incredibly liberating.” – T., participant
Reflection and Voice
There is something deeply poetic about undertaking this work of reparation in a place founded on resilience, reconciliation and repair. Coventry Cathedral, born from the ashes of destruction, stands as a symbol of peace and renewal.
To create spaces for reflection, creative expression and voice within its walls feels profoundly aligned with the spirit of this project.
A Collective Conversation
I am proud to dedicate my practice to offering time and space for women to be believed and heard. Through collaboration with institutions willing to hold and share this work, these voices can resonate far beyond the workshop room – contributing to a collective conversation about domestic abuse, about creating safe spaces for those who need them, and giving a voice to those who have been silenced.
It is my hope that this work can help shift the narrative around domestic abuse – recognising that survivors need their suffering to be acknowledged within society, and that society itself must take greater responsibility for how little support is often offered to those who have experienced it.
Images from our previous exhibition at Westminster City Hall March/April 2025
From the Fragment to the Whole at Westminster City Hall, by multi-disciplinary artist Roberta De Caro.
This powerful exhibition highlighted the resilience and strength of women survivors of domestic abuse. On view from March 5th– April 11th, 2025, at the Westminster City Hall Community Gallery, the exhibition featured 37 glass artworks created in collaboration with women survivors, exploring the transformative power of art as a means of healing and reclaiming one’s story.
The exhibition marked a significant milestone, offering the first-ever complete display of the collection since its inception in 2019. Each piece is a testament to survival, healing, and empowerment, symbolising the journey from brokenness to wholeness.
We are currently planning the next development of the project with new workshops to be announced soon.
Click the buttons below to read more about this project.
Or watch this video of our previous event at Hackney Town Hall in March 2024, during an event organised in collaboration with the Speaker of Hackney Council Cllr Anya Sizer.
Show your support by donating today!
Your donation is truly appreciated and it will help us to secure future funding for the continuation of the project.
Please get in touch with roberta(at)robertadecaro.com
- if you are an organisation supporting survivors of domestic abuse and you would like to offer the chance to participate in the free workshops to the women you support.
- if you have experienced domestic abuse and would like to take part
This project is not for profit. We offer free workshops to women who are rebuilding their lives after domestic abuse. It is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and by donations from the public. We need your help to continue to offer survivors of domestic abuse creative workshops to process their stories. Any contribution towards this aim is truly appreciated.
https://gofund.me/345d2a17
