Remembrance of Pipo Nguyen-Duy

October 30, 2026

The Oberlin community, the Allen, and the art world mourn the tragic loss of Pipo Nguyen-Duy, our colleague, teacher, mentor, and friend, and his wife, Trần Thị Nam Phong.

At the Allen, we had the privilege of working with Pipo on numerous exhibitions, class visits, and other collaborations. His generosity, intellectual curiosity, and deep commitment to art and education enriched our museum and the many students and colleagues fortunate enough to work alongside him.

Born in Huế, Vietnam, Pipo resettled in the United States as a political refugee after the Vietnam War. He built an internationally recognized artistic practice spanning photography, installation, and interdisciplinary inquiry. His work explored cultural identity, migration, spirituality, and environmental transformation, while challenging Western perspectives and expectations around masculinity, identity, and cultural representation. Through his thoughtful and often subversive approach, he invited viewers to reconsider familiar narratives and the ways we see ourselves and others. A Guggenheim Fellow, his work has been exhibited widely in the United States, Asia, and Europe.

Since joining Oberlin College in 1998 as a professor of studio art and photography, Pipo influenced generations of students through his teaching and artistic practice. He maintained a traditional film photography program and an impressive darkroom on campus, preserving an important hands-on photographic tradition. His mentorship extended well beyond the classroom; he followed his former students’ careers and maintained lasting relationships with many of them.

We will remember Pipo for his remarkable contributions to art and education, his generosity as a colleague and mentor, and the lasting impression he made on our community.

And, perhaps most memorably, he was always the best-dressed person on campus.

Our hearts are with the family, friends, students, and colleagues of Pipo and Phong.

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The Allen is displaying a collection of his works in the East Gallery as a space for reflection, remembrance, and connection. Please join us to reflect and remember Pipo and the impact he had on others.