The Skaftfell Center for Visual Art in Seydisfjörður, East Iceland has appointed Gavin Morrison as its new director, Austurfrétt reports. Scottish by birth, Gavin has been living and working in Southern France as a curator and writer, but also has history with the center, having served as its honorary director from 2015 – 2016 and curating several shows of Icelandic artists there in that time.
Skaftfell, a vibrant and much-respected organization that curates visual arts exhibitions, hosts educational programing, and runs an artist residency, is very much at the center of Seydisfjörður’s flourishing arts scene. It is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year and, per the statement made by the board regarding Gavin’s hiring, “…believes that it is important for Skaftfell to strengthen and expand its international relations.”
For his part, Gavin sounds excited to become a more permanent part of the Seydifjörður art scene himself. “I have long admired the various roles that Skaftfell plays within the life of Seyðisfjörður as a cultural, social and educational hub for the local community and visitors to the area,” he remarked. “Its engagement with the complexities of international culture in relation to the specifics of local conditions is a fascinating model. In the role of Director, I plan to continue this tradition and create a dynamic program that grows in international significance but remains rooted in the local context.”
In addition to his curatorial work in Iceland, Gavin has also collaborated with institutions in Sweden, the US, Japan, and Scotland. He is also currently at work on a novel.
