In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a partnership between Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) Gray’s School of Art, Look Again and independent design agency Design and Code, is working collaboratively with the graduating students of 2020 to create a Virtual Degree Show to run 10th – 19th July 2020.
The fully immersive show, which will be curated by the students, 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.
Gray’s Virtual Degree Show 2020 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.
Libby Curtis, Head of Gray’s School of Art, 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.
These students are truly amazing; their fortitude in carrying on and continuing to create and re-create in such challenging conditions is inspiring. I owe a debt of gratitude to our students and indeed our staff in realising this year’s show.
In collaboration with Look Again and Design and Code we will bring our show to life through curated 3D environments, physical avatars, on-line events and audience interaction.
Gray’s Virtual Degree Show 2020 opens to the public with a launch event on Friday, July 10 and runs through until 19 July via.
