Art lovers offered Belfast bargains

Charles Saatchi could do worse than to hop on a plane to Belfast this week if he is looking to replace some of the 100 or more works of art lost in a warehouse fire in London last week.

The art mogul is said to be devastated at the loss of part of his multi-million pound collection of modern art.

Replacements aplenty await him in Belfast and they won’t put a strain on his bulging bank balance.

Final year art students from the University of Ulster are tomorrow opening a week long exhibition of their work – and all of it’s for sale.

Mary Booth, one of the students organising the exhibition, said today: “It’s all for sale and at very realistic prices – they range from £100 (€149) upwards.

“There is such diversity of size and content, we think there is a lot on offer.”

All of the art work, produced in the students’ final year, is on display for the coming week.

“After hearing about what happened to the Saatchi collection we have thought of giving him a ring to let him know about us and our exhibition,” said Ms Booth.

But Belfast business is being offered first pick of the works, with a special two hours set aside for them at the exhibition in the Art College in Belfast’s Royal Avenue to select anything they want to buy to hang in their offices before the general public is allowed in.

Painting Lecturer Mark Ainsworth said in putting together a catalogue of their work the students had shown a great deal of enterprise and determination.

“It has been a pleasure for the University of Ulster staff to work with this group of students. In the end it is perhaps time that the students have the last word and let the work speak for itself,” he said.

All monies raised from the exhibition goes to the students, “to pay off the bank manager,” said Ms Booth.