The current Covid pandemic has encouraged Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) Gray’s School of Art to address this year’s degree show in a new way. In partnership with Look Again, independent design agency Design and Code and 2020 graduating students, they have created a Virtual Degree Show.
The fully immersive student created show will take visitors on a virtual tour of Gray’s, visiting individual exhibition spaces for each student from Painting, Contemporary Art Practice, 3D Design, Communication Design, Fashion and Textiles and Photography courses. This entirely new online space will allow graduates to showcase the breadth of their creative work and also allows the viewer to engage with each student’s unique practice.
Head of Gray’s School of Art Libby Curtis commented, “This year’s Degree Show is different; it is remarkable in its difference. Graduates of 2020 have suffered greatly in not having the usual facilities that they imagined they would have to make their final work. They have had to leave their studios and workshops behind and create these in their homes.
“This virtual exhibition showcases not only our students’ commitment to their practice, their professionalism, and of course the myriad forms of production, artefact, and ideas; it is in itself a show that celebrates their creative resilience and enterprise in the face of COVID-19…”
This Virtual Degree Show launches on 10th July with an opening club night, and for the following week the virtual space will host webinars, Q+As and events for the public to interact with. The online show runs till 19th July.
Please see Gray’s website for full details.
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 