Artist Vanishes on Remote Scottish Island

The film "The Artist Who Disappeared" chronicles the baffling vanishing of artist Sergei Ivanov from the remote Scottish island of Papa Westray on April 3, 2017. Ivanov, who had established the Papay Gyro Nights arts festival, an event revived from an old island tradition, disappeared under circumstances that perplexed the small island community.

Filmmaker David Kew arrived on the island in February 2017 to document the festival, which drew international artists. The island's isolation, with travel involving multiple flights and potential weather delays, added to the mystery of how someone could simply disappear. Police Scotland initiated a search, involving the island's 75 residents.

The film delves into potential reasons for Ivanov's disappearance, including his interest in the island's sea caves and a social media post about the rising sea. His daughter Pavel expressed pride, stating, "everyone disappears in the end," while Katya found the grieving process difficult but believed her father would appreciate his exit being like a "weird old black and white movie."

Despite remaining listed as a missing person, Ivanov's partner, Tszman Chan, has had him presumed dead under Scots law, providing closure and enabling an art project. The film has been screened in Orkney and London, sparking cathartic discussions about Sergei, the island, and the nature of knowing someone.