The Mann Art Gallery has chosen its new director/curator.
Marcus Miller will assume the role in October. The gallery has been without a permanent director/curator since Jesse Campbell went on maternity leave last year before announcing in March that she would not be returning to her position.
She had been in the role for five years.
Gallery educator Lana Wilson has been serving as the acting director in Campbell’s absence. In a press release, the gallery said that Wilson is “looking forward” to returning to education programming and her educator role in October.
Miller is coming to the Mann following a stint at the University of Saskatchewan, where he served as the director of the Gordan Snelgrove Gallery for eight years and as curator of public programming and participation after the gallery amalgamated. He previously served as director of the Allan Sapp Gallery in North Battleford.
“Marcus recognizes that the Mann Art Gallery has a special role as the northernmost public gallery in Saskatchewan, and he is eager to contribute to its continued growth and community engagement,” the gallery said in a news release.
“He’s looking forward to meeting artists at the gallery, in their studios around Prince Albert, and exploring north to more remote communities.”
Miller holds an MA in the social history of art from Leeds University and a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Univerisity. He’s an author of critical reviews and articles with a number of Canadian journals and ais a previous correspondent for Contemporary Magazine in London, England.
He has big shoes to fill.
Throughout her time as director/curator for the past five years, the gallery’s collection has more than doubled through the Beth and Mac Hone collection. That’s not to mention pieces from Joe Fafard — including the Mahihkan sculpture displayed outside of the building — Ruth Cuthand and Catherine Blackburn.
Campbell curated the gallery’s first touring exhibition, which was Blackburn’s New Age Warriors.
Not only was Campbell responsible for installing Mahihkan, she created the garden of the Foulds’ sculptures outside of the gallery. Previously, they were in storage.
