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Saatchi Gallery is delighted to announce that it has reopened to the public on Thursday September 3rd, 2020 with 'London Grads Now.'. This thought-provoking exhibition showcases works by graduating students from London's leading fine art schools including; Royal College of Art, UCL: Slade School of Art, Goldsmiths: University of London, UAL: Chelsea College of Arts, UAL: Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL: Camberwell College of Arts and UAL: Central Saint Martins.
Following the unprecedented cancellation of graduation shows across London due to COVID-19 restrictions, Saatchi Gallery with the generous support of Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, invited students and lecturers to organise an exhibition that would enable graduating students to showcase their works safely within international-quality gallery spaces. Through an incredibly collaborative effort London Grads Now. will bring together under one exhibition over 150 graduating artists and more than 200 works. Saatchi Gallery, which transitioned to a charitable organisation in 2019 and relies upon private donations and public support, has a strong commitment to expanding and improving the knowledge and passion for the arts, particularly contemporary art. London Grads Now. is a key part of that ongoing commitment.
MFA graduate and curator of the selected works from UCL: Slade School of Art, Victoria Cantons, refers to her artists as "fresh graduates who provide a snapshot of the exciting ideas, explorations and discussions that are occurring in art today. The work is important as a reflection of the experience we're going through now."
The exhibition was curated by Mandy Franca (curator of selected works from Royal College of Art), Victoria Cantons (curator of selected works from UCL: Slade School of Art), Januario Jano (curator of selected works from Goldsmiths, University of London), Juan Bolivar (curator of selected works from UAL: Chelsea College of Arts, UAL: Wimbledon College of Arts and UAL: Camberwell College of Arts), and Mazzy-Mae Green & Greta Voeller (curators of selected works from UAL: Central Saint Martins). Graphic design graduates from UAL: Central Saint Martins, Abbie Lilley and Lili Phillips designed all promotional materials of London Grads Now.
Juan Bolivar, painting lecturer and curator for the selection of works from UAL: Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon, commented "This exhibition of London-wide MA graduates is an incredible opportunity to celebrate the work of a new generation of artists and recognise the resilience of the human spirit. Selecting from a rich variety and diversity of MA graduates practices that have been nurtured during their time at CCW (Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon), one can feel reassured that in this glimpse of voices we have a future. This is a London art scene that is alive and kicking."
Saatchi Gallery has been committed to supporting emerging British artists for over 35 years, and now more than ever, we are pleased to support emerging artists during these uncertain times. We have provided seven gallery spaces from September 3rd through October 11th, 2020 to our participating schools - with each gallery space entirely curated by students and lecturers.