Associate Professor of Art History

About

  • Office Hours:

    TBA; by appointment

  • Role:

    Faculty

  • Position:

    • Associate Professor of Art History

  • Concentration:

    • Art History

  • Department:

    • Art and Art History and Art Museum

  • Education:

    • PhD., Art History

  • Curriculum Vitae:

Biography

David Riep received a M.A. in art history from the University of Kentucky (2005) and a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Iowa (2011) with a specialization in the arts of Africa. His area of research centers on South Sotho art and history in South Africa and Lesotho, where he resided for more than five years between 2000 and 2011. David’s work increasingly explores the relationship between art history and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to understand how art historical research might impact social and global challenges. One result has been his focus on developing content for OERs (Open Educational Resources), for projects such as Smarthistory and The Bright Continent: African Art History, which are free, publicly available teaching, learning, and research resources. David has also been involved in an ongoing multi-disciplinary project entitled Africa Meets Africa, which explores southern African cultural heritage and uses cultural context as a link to understanding the arts, mathematics, language, and history. This non-profit project produces a series of interactive learning materials for the South African public school system and provides educator training and support. David’s current research continues to focus on social engagement, equity and access by exploring kingship in the Free State province of South Africa and questions the use of dominant narratives and privileged sources, while also turning to genealogy, oral histories, and the visual arts as documents for determining power and position. David previously served as an at-large member on the board of directors for the Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA) and was the association's newsletter editor and liaison to the College Art Association (CAA). In addition to his ongoing research in southern Africa, David currently serves as Associate Professor of Art History at Colorado State University and Associate Curator of African Art at the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art.

Publications

Publications

David Riep, 2023, “Lithoko: Continuity, Change, and the Future of South Sotho Praise Poetry,” in The Epic World(Pamela Lothspeich, ed.). London: Routledge.

David Riep, ed., 2023. Shattering Perspectives: An Exhibition of African Ceramics, Fort Collins: The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art.

Gerhard Bosman and David Riep, 2023, "International Student Collaboration: Transformation for Vernacular Art and Architecture Teaching and Learning, Free State Province, South Africa," In Design for Resilient Communities: Proceedings of the UIA World Congress of Architects Copenhagen 2023 (Anna Rubbo, Juan Du, Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, and Martin Take, eds.), Cham: Springer, pp. 793-806.

David Riep, 2023, "Art, Adornment, and Identity in Africa," In Reframing Art History, Smarthistory: The Center for Public Art History (Steven Zucker and Beth Harris, eds.), OER Commons, https://smarthistory.org/reframing-art-history/art-adornment-and-identity-in-africa/.

David Riep, 2022, “Residences of South Sotho Speakers,” In: The Bright Continent: African Art History: Bright Insight (Kathy Curnow, ed.), Cleveland: MSL Academic Endeavors,  https://access.thebrightcontinent.org

David Riep, 2022, “Surveying South Sotho Built Environments,” In: The Bright Continent: African Art History: Bright Insight (Kathy Curnow, ed.), Cleveland: MSL Academic Endeavors,  https://access.thebrightcontinent.org

David Riep, 2021, “Thethana, South Sotho artist,” In: Smarthistory: The Center for Public Art History (Steven Zucker and Beth Harris, eds.), OER Commons, https://smarthistory.org/thethana-south-sotho-artist/

David Riep, 2020, “A Social Life of Pots in Southern Africa," de Arte, 55 (2): 93-126.

David Riep, 2017. Symbols of Self: Art and Identity in Southern Africa. Iowa City, IA: The University of Iowa Museum of Art.

Helene Smuts, David Riep, Patrick Fahey, Jenna Lewis, and Jackie Scheiber, 2017, Africa Meets Africa: Pathways Through the Interior: Litema and geometry. Life Skills (Creative Arts) and Mathematics Intermediate Phase Level: Grades 4, 5, and 6 Teacher's Guide. Johannesburg: The Africa Meets Africa Project.

Helene Smuts, David Riep, Patrick Fahey, Jenna Lewis, and Jackie Scheiber, 2017, Africa Meets Africa: Pathways Through the Interior: Litema and geometry. Life Skills Creative Arts) and Mathematics Intermediate Phase Level: Grades 4, 5, and 6 Learner Workbook. Johannesburg: The Africa Meets Africa Project.

David Riep, 2017, “Earth, Art, and the Ancestors: The spiritual aspects of terra-firma in ceramic arts across the African continent,” in Crossing Communities: Beer culture across Africa, Fort Collins, CO: The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art, pp. 10-17.

David Riep, 2017, “Book Review: Repainting the Walls of Lunda: Information Colonialism and Angolan Art, by Delinda Collier,” CAA.reviews (College Art Association). Summer 2017.

David Riep, 2017, "The Kingdom of Lesotho," In: African Kingdoms: An Encyclopedia of Empires and Civilizations (Saheed Aderinto, ed.), Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, pp. 172-176.

David Riep, 2015, "Histories of South Sotho Beadwork," In: Beadwork, Art and the Body: Dilo Tse Dintsi/Abundance(Anitra Nettleton, ed.), Johannesburg: Wits University Press, pp. 50-73.

David Riep, 2014, “Hot Women! South Sotho female arts in context," African Arts, 47 (3): 24-39.

David Riep, 2014, "Visual Symbols of Self: South Sotho Arts and Initiation." Art and Life in Africa Online (The University of Iowa). October 2014. http://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/topic-essays/show/43

Helene Smuts, Bronwyn Lace, Marcus Neustetter, David Morris, Sven Ouzman, Carolina Govender, Enrico Olivier, Chonat Getz, Jackie Scriber, David Riep, John Parkington, Willem Boshoff, Marcelle Olivier, Fanie Olivier, Bruce Rubidge, Guy Spiller, Christine Mullen Kreamer, Karel Nel and Andre Croucamp, 2014, Africa Meets Africa: My Room at the Center of the Universe. Johannesburg: The Africa Meets Africa Project.

David Riep, 2013, "Seeing Sesotho: Art, history, and the visual language of South Sotho identity." Southern African Humanities. 25 (2013): 217-244.

Helene Smuts, David Riep, and Jackie Scheiber, 2014, Africa Meets Africa: Pathways Through the Interior. Creative Arts and Mathematics Senior Phase Level: Grade 9 Teacher's Guide. Johannesburg: The Africa Meets Africa Project. 

Sven Ouzman, Chonat Getz, David Riep, Helene Smuts, Andre Croucamp, Nessa Liebhammer and Peter Sekibakiba Lekgoathi, 2011. Africa Meets Africa: Pathways Through the Interior. Johannesburg: The Africa Meets Africa Project.

David Riep, 2011, "Visual Revision: Intersecting Art and Film in the work of Jean-Marie Teno and Raoul Peck,” Journal of African Cinema, 3 (1): 81-92.

David Riep, 2010, "The Work of Jean-Marie Teno & Raoul Peck: Restoring Life to a Fleeced Continent,” African Literature Today, 28 (October 2010): 41-54.

David Riep, 2007/08, “Collections at Work: Objects and Attribution.” Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, Fall/Spring (2007/08): 99-113.

David Riep, 2007/08, "Book Review: Museum Frictions: Public Cultures/Global Transformations by Ivan Karp. Ed.," Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, Fall/Spring (2007/08): 115-117.

Multi-media

DVD “Beer Making in Southern Africa.” Director, editor, and producer. Distributed by Createspace, 2012.

DVD “South Sotho Mural Art – Southern Africa.” Director, editor, and producer. Distributed by Createspace, 2009.

DVD “South Sotho Pot Making – Southern Africa.” Director, editor, and producer. Distributed by Createspace, 2008.

Exhibitions

2024, Organizer and Co-Curator: "Illuminating Identity: A celebration of African artists in the digital era," Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University); Kghodwana Cultural Village and Museum, Nkangala, South Africa.

2023, Organizer and Co-curator: "Shattering Perspectives: A Teaching Collection of African Ceramics Encore," Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

2023, Organizer and Co-curator: "Arts of the Cameroon Grasslands," Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

2023, Organizer and Co-curator: "Dibul Kouana: A Visual Language for Feminine Prestige," Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

2021, Curator: “The African Permanent Collection,” Gallery Re installation, Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

 2020-2021, Organizer and Co-Curator: “Shattering Perspectives: A Teaching Collection of African Ceramics,” Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

2020, Organizer and Co-curator: "Women's Textiles Across Africa: The Symbolic and the Practical," Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

2018-2019, Organizer and Co-Curator: “Women’s Work: Art and Sustainability in Contemporary Southeast Africa,” The Gregory Allicar Museum of Art, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Kghodwana Museum and Cultural Village, Nkangala, South Africa.

2017, Curator: “Symbols of Self: Art and Identity in Southern Africa,” The University of Iowa Museum of Art/Figge Art Museum.

2017, Curator: “Crossing Communities: Beer culture across Africa,”Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

2016, Curator: “Highlights From the Permanent African Collection,” Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (Colorado State University), Fort Collins, Colorado.

2014-2015, Exhibition component: South Sotho Pot Making (video), in “From African Earth: Celebrating our African Clay Heritage.” IZIKO Slave Lodge (IZIKO Museums), Cape Town, South Africa.

2013, Curator: "Sustaining Life: African Ceramics from the Southern University at New Orleans collection." The McKenna Museum of African American Art, New Orleans, Louisiana; The New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, Louisiana.

2012-2014, Exhibition component: South Sotho Pot Making (video), in "Fired: An exhibition of South African Ceramics." Castle of Good Hope (IZIKO Museums), Cape Town, South Africa.

2012, Curator: "Storied Expressions: The visual language of African art from the Southern University at New Orleans collection." New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, Louisiana.

2008, Curator: "African Ceramics." Permanent gallery installation, The University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, Iowa.