Hannah Ryan

Hannah Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at St. Olaf College, affiliated with Gender and Sexuality Studies and Race and Ethnic Studies departments. She holds a Ph.D. in Art History and Visual Studies from Cornell University (2019), along with an M.A. in Art History and dual B.F.A./B.A. degrees in Studio Art and Humanities from the University of Colorado. Her research focuses on transatlantic visual culture, African diaspora art, intersectional feminism, and maternal labor themes.

Dr. Ryan’s work bridges decolonial theory and feminist critique, examining consumption, labor, and care through art. She has curated exhibitions on contemporary film and photography and previously worked in museum education at institutions like The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. She teaches courses on modern/contemporary art, including Latin American Modernism and Museum Controversies. In 2023, she led a field-study course in New Mexico exploring Georgia O'Keeffe's legacy.

Recent publications include co-editing Nourish and Resist: Food and Feminisms in Contemporary Global Caribbean Art (Yale UP, 2024) and a forthcoming book Liquid Gold: Milk in Transatlantic Visual Culture. She received the 2022 Cassling Teaching Innovation Award for her Acquisitions Project and a 2017 AAUW Dissertation Fellowship. Off-campus, she enjoys outdoor activities and museum visits.