By Rachel Reyna | Additional reporting by Kirsten Coachman
In the face of grief from the loss of a beloved community member, Academy of Art University faculty, staff, and students gathered on Wednesday, May 15, at the opening reception of “Ryan Baldwin Retrospective: A Tribute” at 625 Sutter Gallery to honor the life and photography of Ryan Baldwin.
Baldwin, who passed away in December 2023, was the Executive Director of the School of Photography (PH) and had been a part of the Academy since 2001.
“Ryan consistently brought out the best in people,” shared PH Online Director Tamara Hubbard, who worked with Baldwin for 17 years. “He always put the students’ interests first while maintaining positivity and forward progress with faculty and the curriculum as a whole. As a leader, he knew how to identify every person’s individual strengths and build on each of them. He also had the unique ability to maximize future planning as he could at once see the whole matrix of the department and its role within the University, and with this vision, project and strategize many years into the future.”
The exhibition, curated by Hubbard and PH Associate Director Kimberly Mowbray, showcased Baldwin’s quintessential work and was a space for his family, friends, and colleagues to collectively grieve and celebrate his legacy. “In curating the show, our goal was to show a diverse range of Ryan’s travel and landscape photographs, taken over a number of years and locations,” explained Hubbard, who described the exhibition as “a powerful culmination of Ryan’s incredible photography work.”
Baldwin traveled to many places, and through his lens, he captured the beauty and diversity around the world as seen through the selection of images on display. The exhibition also gave those who worked alongside him a look at his life outside of the Academy.
“It was beautiful, especially when the room was filled with his wife, family, childhood friends, and professional colleagues,” said Mowbray. “We all had the same feelings about him, the same sense that we had a hole that would never be filled. He was special to all of us and always made us feel special being in his presence.”
“The way that he shot [photos], to me, it was really poetic,” said Executive Director of the School of Visual Development and 2D Animation and Art Direction Nicolás Villareal, who attended the exhibition opening. “He would take photos of things that maybe you wouldn’t really notice.”
At the center of the exhibition was a Tribute Wall where loved ones pinned photos with Baldwin, mementos, and letters to the beloved photographer. The wall became a collaborative piece of art itself, displayed for all to see among Baldwin’s work. Many images brought in by family and friends pictured Baldwin surfing, traveling, and setting up shots to capture. In the handwritten notes pinned among photos, colleagues and loved ones expressed their gratitude to Baldwin and spoke of his passion for life, art, and teaching.
“Being surrounded by his photography work filled me with awe and an immersive feeling that is far greater than words can describe,” said Hubbard. “The tribute wall was especially moving, offering a treasured window into Ryan’s vibrancy and unending passion and drive to embrace the best of life, and the vast experiences it has to offer.”
“Ryan lived his life with both integrity and loyalty. He worked hard to ensure the students and faculty always knew what was expected of them and always set us up for success,” said Mowbray. “This included little things, like absolutely no changes could be made to supply lists after they were public, so students would never be caught off guard, and larger things, like setting up a mentoring program for all new instructors. He always stated expectations, put people in positions to succeed, and scaffolded their success.”
“When I became director, that’s when I met Ryan, and something that always struck me about Ryan is that he was very smart, very nice, and very hardworking,” shared Villarreal. “I learned a lot from him because when you were near him, you felt like he was floating. He never complained about anything. Ever.”
Baldwin’s notable impact at the Academy was felt throughout the exhibition and will no doubt continue to leave an indelible mark on the University’s community in the years to come.
“Ryan was good, to the core, a good human. Rarely are someone’s heart and intentions so aligned both personally and professionally, heart coherence,” said Mowbray. “He always put our team first; the good of the whole benefited each individual. When our team was smaller, we did small retreats together. He said that when we looked back on our careers, he wanted these to stand out, and they really do. He created a supportive and fun environment for us all to thrive in. He was exceptional, and there are not a lot of people like that, and unfortunately, he’s gone, but, in my mind, he’s somewhere surfing, taking pictures, and laughing.”