The mechanisation of laundry freed up many hours for the average housewife. Viv Davy’s tapestry of an old wringer washing machine – rendered in incredible detail – might evoke nostalgia for the good old days. But her ‘old friend’ also brings with it an air of menace. Looming large on a black background, the rusty metallic form appears almost alive, a sinister figure about to eat your fingers. The bone-crushing reality of the wringer washing machine reminds us that it pays to keep nostalgia in perspective.