When artwork disappears, it isn’t necessarily stolen. Sometimes it’s simply forgotten. In this talk, researcher and artist Ryan Greis shares how he tracked down over a million dollars’ worth of missing and overlooked artworks, uncovering the stories of forgotten artists and the vanished moments of our cultural past along the way. From dusty archives to scattered records,

 

Ryan shows how persistence, curiosity, and asking the right questions can piece together fragments of history. At its core, this presentation is a case for advocacy—demonstrating how artists, educators, and citizens play a critical role in speaking up for cultural works that cannot protect themselves. That lesson carries far beyond the art world, into everything from the corporate workplace to public institutions and everyday life, where progress often depends on individuals willing to notice what’s been overlooked, ask uncomfortable questions, and take responsibility for what might otherwise be lost.

 

This isn’t just about recovering paintings. It’s about recognizing what we’re responsible for—and having the conviction to carry important work, ideas, and histories through rather than letting them quietly disappear.

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Key Themes: Advocacy, Accountability, Ownership, Follow-through, Critical thinking, Persistence, Problem-solving