GATEKEEP — A Luxury Pharmaceutical for Cultural Institutions (2026) is a video artwork that uses the visual style of pharmaceutical advertising to critique “institutional gatekeeping within museums, galleries, and cultural organizations.” By imitating the language of care and reassurance, the piece reveals how systems of exclusion become normalized through their appearance in society, while quietly shaping accessibility, visibility, and legitimacy in the art world through institutional authority. Distorted sound, and unpredictable changes in the visuals of the work encourage viewers to reconsider the way in which belonging within cultural spaces is constructed. Moreover, it suggests in the era of digitalization, the borders and barriers are no longer physical walls, but well-designed algorithms which contribute to the systems of institutional authority.
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Digital America interviewed Juan Sebastian Restrepo in April 2026.
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Juan (Zeb) Restrepo is an interdisciplinary artist working with video, performance, and digital media to examine institutional systems, cultural power, and everyday mechanisms of exclusion. He is an independent artist and educator based in the United States, working at the intersection of contemporary art and critical media practices. His work has been featured in exhibitions, screenings, and online platforms focused on political satire, digital culture, and conceptual art.
