Host by Kate Harding
Large bread mosaic on display in The Stripe
‘Host’ is a mosaic constructed from over 700 pieces of sliced white bread, each forming an individual tile. The production process is totally unique and involves a combination of antique restoration and traditional textile printing techniques. This site responsive installation was initially created to feature in Winchester Cathedral as part of the Re- Imagining Treasures of Hyde Abbey exhibition.
The piece has a strong spiritual and Christian message which endorses the University’s core principles and mission to serve the public good. The aspiration behind the image was to describe the combined spiritual and literal ‘food’ provided for the local community by the monks at Hyde Abbey nine hundred years ago.
“The picture is reminiscent of the gospel oak and is intended to remind the viewer of the symbolism of oak trees and their importance in the religious and social tradition of the site in Winchester. The use of bread as a media is intended to echo the Eucharist, hence the title Host, and plays heavily on the notion of the religious community providing spiritual and physical sustenance to the surrounding communities. The treasure in this case is the original agricultural purpose and the sense of community established by the Abbey. Through the use of this material and the labour involved in producing and installing the work I wish to echo this, and draw attention to the link with the land. I would like the viewer to perhaps consider the development of their spirituality and religious traditions in terms of the distant pagan origins to the present Christian religious activities at the Winchester site. I also wish for the viewer to view the work in the light of our current relationship to our communities (religious or not) and how valuable their contribution as an individual can be.”