This project honours the art of transformation, showing that even when torn apart, we stitch each other back together. Creativity becomes the thread that cannot be broken.
At its core, this project is about turning pain into beauty, survival into artistry, and fabric into a canvas for hope. It’s an ode to human transformation, reminding us that even when torn apart, we can always stitch ourselves back together.
To be human is to transform
to take the broken and make it whole again.
The Unbroken Thread
The Big Question: What does it mean to be human?
Is it our ability to suffer, or our ability to transform suffering into something beautiful?
by Pia x The Liberty Project for Creative NZ Creative Fellowship Fund
A Visual Tapestry of Resilience and Transformation
UNDER DEVELOPMENT
What it looks like
THE VISION
The Unbroken Thread is a collaborative storytelling project that explores what it means to be human through the lens of transformation, resilience, and creativity. At its core, this project will document the work of The Liberty Project and the lives of women they serve in Mozambique who are actively rebuilding their lives through the act of creation; literally stitching their stories into fashion.
Through intimate editorial-style photo shoots, behind-the-scenes photojournalism, and personal interviews, we will capture how creativity serves as both an act of healing and a powerful symbol of strength in the human journey. These visual stories will be paired with personal reflections, journal-style writings, and handmade products created by the women; forming a tactile thread between pain and hope.
The project is focused on highlighting the transformative work of the Liberty Design Studio through the lens or creative works but hopes to also empower all people involved in the process by:
- Engaging Beauty students as makeup and hair stylists for the shoots, providing hands-on experience and fostering community involvement.
- Involving all the women to model and take part in the production process
- Offering teaching opportunities in photography and media
Dream Outcomes:
Across all development stages, the final ideal outcomes are:
- A global digital and press campaign to amplify these voices, connecting with publications and cultural spaces in fashion, art, and human interest.
- A potential short documentary, visual series or BTS film.
- A potential photo exhibition
- A potential touring exhibition
- A potential collaborative runway show partnering with emerging designers and brands who align with our values
- A potential coffee table book combining portraiture, documentary photography, and storytelling
- A limited collection / merch range launch
At The Heart
AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE
This project emphasises the act of creation as a metaphor for healing, showcasing the women’s handmade creations as powerful symbols of rebirth and resilience. The women’s personal journeys are about how they reclaimed their identity and freedom through art, craft, and community.
The lens:
- The act of making something new: fashion, textiles, bags, accessories, jewellery as a metaphor for human resilience.
- The universal story of transformation: What drives people to keep going despite impossible odds?
- A photojournalism lens on the wider transformative work of other Liberty Project initiatives.
THE VISUAL LANGUAGE:
Editorial-style portraits in Mozambique locations: featuring the handmade creations, representing personal transformation.
Juxtaposition: Contrast between the creations and the locations, present and past, opposing ideas to reflect growth.
Handwritten notes on fabric: each garment carrying a personal message from the woman who made it.
Documentary style photography: A day in the life, behind the scenes of the work of The Liberty Project through impactful imagery
Written pieces: Personal interviews, quotes, poetry, anecdotes
Moving Images: Visual & audio capture (collab)
Creative Fellowship Fund
THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE
The Unbroken Thread is a multidisciplinary photography and storytelling project that explores resilience, creativity, and transformation through the voices and artistry of women at The Liberty Project in Mozambique. The project will trace the journey from concept to production, beginning in New Zealand with research, storyboarding, and team development, before moving into an immersive field experience in Mozambique where the creative vision will be brought to life through photography and videography. Back in New Zealand, post-production and immediate digital sharing will refine the narrative and provide early engagement with audiences, laying the groundwork for future exhibition, publication, and broader cultural impact. This structured, phased approach ensures that every story is captured with depth, authenticity, and artistic ambition, while enabling the project to expand the reach and visibility of The Liberty Project’s transformative work.
Online Exposure: Targeting art/fashion media outlets to showcase the project.
- A body of original photographs + written narratives
- Initial short-form video content
- Blog or microsite for storytelling
- Behind-the-scenes or process documentation
Stage deliverables
Development Stages
Creative Fellowship Fund
The project begins in New Zealand with in-depth research, concept development, and storyboarding. I will refine the creative vision, exploring how the women’s narratives can be expressed through photography, fashion, and storytelling. During this phase, the creative team, comprising myself as photographer and art director, a videographer, a production assistant, a makeup/styling lead, and a content creator will be brought together to prepare for the immersive fieldwork. Together, we will plan shoots, lighting, and storytelling approaches, ensuring that every element serves the women’s voices and the project’s overarching narrative.
Outcomes:
- Artistic development
- Creative team
Once in Mozambique, we will spend approximately a week immersing in the community, scouting locations, and building rapport with the women of The Liberty Project. This phase ensures that the shoots are culturally informed, respectful, and deeply collaborative. Concept refinement continues on-site, adapting to the environment, and ensuring that every visual and narrative element reflects authenticity and empowerment.
Outcomes:
- Village immersion
- Story foundations
- Location scouting
The creative vision comes to life during the production phase. Photography and videography sessions will capture the women’s artistry, fashion, and personal stories, blending editorial and documentary approaches. The team will manage styling, lighting, and behind-the-scenes documentation, ensuring both high-quality creative output and respectful storytelling. This immersive phase aims to create work that is visually striking, emotionally resonant, and socially meaningful.
Outcomes:
- Full scale production
Back in New Zealand, the project moves into post-production. Photography and video footage will be curated, edited, and refined, forming a cohesive narrative. This includes colour grading, retouching, and integration of written reflections to preserve the depth and nuance of the women’s stories. Immediate sharing through social media and digital channels will provide real-time insights into the creative journey.
Outcomes:
- Post-processing of images, videos, written pieces and social media content
- Extensive curation
While this fellowship supports the making of the project, the work will be positioned for a wider audience. Early sharing via digital platforms and social media will be complemented by strategic press outreach, connecting the project to creative, fashion, and cultural networks. These steps lay the foundation for the subsequent stages; a full exhibition, a coffee table book, and further engagement that elevates the women’s stories to international audiences.
Outcomes:
- PR push targeting fashion publications
- Digital platform exposure