Museology Communications and Marketing Assistant Xavier Lucas-Cooper (’27) spoke with Lesley Tetlalco (’27) about her work study experience at the Burke Museum.
What is your academic background and how did that draw you to your position in the Burke?
My academic background is in art history and museum studies, focusing on Chicanx and Latinx art practices and Indigenous material culture/contemporary art from the Americas. At the Burke Museum, I work in the Heritage: Arts and Culture department as a collections management assistant in the North and South American Collections. It has been fulfilling to be able to apply a lot of my previous knowledge from undergrad, while simultaneously learning new skills in collections management working with art from various Indigenous communities throughout the West Coast and Pacific Northwest. Though my background focuses on curatorial practices, as an emerging art/museum professional, I wanted to grow my interests beyond my bubble of comfort and expand my skillset, which is a primary reason I was drawn to this position at the Burke in collections management.
How does your work in the Burke mirror what you learn in the classes you’re taking this quarter? If not, in what ways does your work supplement your classes?
I believe that everything that I do in terms of academia and technical practice has been able to merge in the ways that work best towards my personal goals, so there is a generous overlap between what I am learning in my classes and the work I am doing at the Burke. Especially in my Museum Law and Museum Collections classes, taking these courses, I’ve been able to fill in some of the gaps in my training at the Burke and it’s been great to understand some of the legal aspects behind the pieces and work I engage with on a daily basis. It always puts me in this position of awareness which I think is important when having access to such sensitive information and materials.
How does your work at the Burke relate to your future career goals?
As I work towards being a curator, it has been important that I also allow myself to broaden my knowledge and horizons. I am the type of person who wants to do it all (within reason) and being able to work hands-on with collections, understand their history and honor the communities to which they belong, has been beneficial to my career goals. As a future curator, it’s important that I learn these interdisciplinary skills that will put me in the best position to honor artists and the labor that goes into being in a museum network by supporting my team in the best way possible.
What is your favorite part of your work at the Burke?
Being able to learn and research the objects/art that I am handling with care and precision is a privilege, especially to be in a space that honors Indigenous sovereignty and social justice. I also love the people I work with; we all share common interests and values that revolve around honoring our collections and the communities connected to them, it is truly one of the best places to work at!