Exhibition at Winchester School of Art features giant pasty

The exhibition, called Work & Play, is being hosted at The Winchester Gallery, at Winchester School of Art.

It is the result of the first open call for art applications by the University of Southampton-owned gallery.

The exhibition features 26 works by University of Southampton students and staff, and members of the local community, chosen from 75 applications.

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Mel Ffitch-Mitchell with the pasty. (Image: University of Southampton) Students on the contemporary curating and fine art courses at Winchester School of Art collaborated on the exhibition.

They worked with Trinity Art Group in Winchester to design aprons – the ‘uniform of work and play’ – which visitors can wear while they view the exhibition.

A huge pasty made of gold velour stuffed with recycled magazine pages, created by artist Mel Ffitch-Mitchell, from Totton, features in the exhibition.

A portrait of a busker made of used postage stamps, by amateur artist Caroline Haines from Chandler’s Ford, is on show.

Caroline, 62, took up art when she retired three years ago.

She said: “In lockdown I bought two bags of used postage stamps from a charity shop.

“I found it very therapeutic sorting them saying I will do something with them one day.”

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Caroline Haines with her portrait made from stamps. (Image: University of Southampton) A piece called ‘Foot and Ball’, by Dave Gibbons, specialist photography technician at Winchester School of Art, includes video footage of a ball being dribbled taken from the perspective of the footballer’s feet, and a pair of studded shoes.

Dave said: “I played football at a high-level for many years and enjoy the sport as a fan.

“Foot and Ball is the result of technical explorations which involved using stills photography and moving image whilst playing or watching football.”

Julia Vogl, lecturer and fellow in printmaking at WSA, curated the exhibition.

She said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for our students to be showing their work alongside that of renowned professional artists.”

Work & Play is on at the gallery at Winchester School of Art, Park Avenue, until Saturday, May 24, and admission is free.

The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 12pm to 6pm and Saturday from 12pm to 4pm.

It will be closed for Easter from April 17 to 22.