Students in Aberdeen have shown their backing for their Glasgow counterparts after their work was lost in the fire which partially destroyed the city’s School of Art (GSA).
The fourth year sculpture students at RGU’s Gray’s School of Art are asking visitors to their annual degree show to give generously to a fund set up to support those who were hit by last Friday’s blaze.
The group, whose showcase opens on June 20, said they felt compelled to do something for the Glasgow students whose final year work was being stored at the Charles Rennie Mackintosh building in preparation for their own degree show.
Daniel Massie, 22, had previously visited the GSA and the Mackintosh Library specifically to admire the craftsmanship.
He said: “I was at home when I heard but the first thing I did was call up a friend and ask ‘have you just seen that?’ You get to thinking, what if it happened to you?”
Jim Buckley, sculpture subject leader, said: “Early on in my career I taught at the GSA, so seeing the building, my first reaction was sadness and shock.
“It was a sad day for Scotland, that such a valuable national treasure had been partially destroyed.
“Obviously the students were in their final days of preparing for their degree show and that’s very hard because you work towards it all year.”
Paul Harris, head of Gray’s School of Art, said: “The Mackintosh Building is an iconic piece of Scottish architecture and the loss of student work, particularly at this important time for final year students, is extremely distressing.
“Our thoughts are very much with our colleagues and fellow students in Glasgow and we will support them in any way we can, including welcoming donations towards their fundraising drive as part of our degree show.”
Earlier this week the Scottish government announced it would be donating £5million to the Mackintosh Building Fire Fund to restore the GSA.
The school has also announced special bursaries for students who lost their work.