Rene G. Cepeda

Museologician: a blog about my thoughts and experiences in art history and museums.

On museum’s relevance

“For museums to retain their relevance and become positive partners in the development of our societies, they should use their unique resources and potentials to become more responsive to the dynamics of modern society and urban change.” Emmanuel N. Arinze,1999

May 13, 2015
Alterity and Gamergate

In a previous article I wrote about how we can wield our otherness as a tool for positive change, embracing what makes us different from the mainstream and turning it into a positive. There is however a darker side to otherness, when we see our otherness as superior to a world blind to the right way,…

April 23, 2015
Authenticity in Museums

In this essay I will endeavour to offer my views in the subject, starting with an attempt at a definition of authenticity. Afterwards I will address the dangers of chasing this subjective concept if limits are not set. The third and most important part of this essay will look at two contrasting museums, the Piermaster’s…

March 9, 2015
Self Othering in the Art World

This article was originally published in The New Union. Gay, Black, Feminist, African; these are just some of the labels that are commonly used in the art world in an attempt to reduce complex individuals to a single identifier, whether religious, ethnic, territorial, national, or sexual. In general terms, these labels are not used in…

May 18, 2014
New Twitter Hashtag

I have created a new Twitter hashtag: #tipsforartists where I give tips to artists so they can break into the art world and not be taken advantage of. Tweet your own tips under this tag, or send them to me so I can publish them.

May 8, 2014
Bootleg Beef – A new artist to watch

Glasgow based artist Bootleg Beef offers us a new insight into the meat industry and the craft behind it. You can follow Bootleg Beef on Blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

March 15, 2014
Brecht and Picasso, art as a weapon for social change

In this essay my intention is to reflect on Picasso’s Guernica and its importance in the world scene as a condemnation of Fascism and war through the lens of Bertolt Brecht’s In the Fight Against Injustice Even Weak Weapons Are of Use. The relationship between Brecht’s text and Picasso’s work is clear: Brecht was a…

March 12, 2014
My first article of hopefully many more to come.

I had the pleasure to be asked to write for New Union magazine, you can find my article: Self Othering in the World Art here. *The original link is now defunct, so i have published the article on this blog.

March 3, 2014
David Hockney Early Reflections Review

David Hockney Early Reflections is a cleverly named exhibition focusing on the early period of the artist’s career, introducing us to something more than the famous pool paintings. While Hockney’s homosexuality is touched upon, as it should be, especially since his sexual preference is prevalent in most of his creative output in one way or…

January 13, 2014
Art Valuation, a necessary headache

This last month I’ve been asked to appraise an acquaintance’s collection and im being faced with the difficulties that this entails. First of all let me make it clear that I am in no way an appraiser, my trade is contemporary art, however this person trusts my taste and knowledge and entered into this agreement…

June 12, 2013