Meet Catherine (Cat) Shteynberg | Museum Assistant Director and Curator of Exhibitions

We had the good fortune of connecting with Catherine (Cat) Shteynberg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catherine (Cat), what role has risk played in your life or career?

I think that when we talk about risk in the workplace, we are actually talking about fear: fear of failure and fear of change. However, it’s important to remember that when it feels like we have a lot to lose, that’s typically because we really care about what we are trying to accomplish.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less averse to risk, because I realize that when I feel scared, I’m working on something worthwhile. And as I’ve studied Buddhism and mindfulness, I also have become less averse to change. The only thing constant in life is change–we can either choose to accept this fact or suffer.

Right now I’m working on an exhibition that is very important to me, which also feels very risky. It’s called “Homelands: Connecting to Mounds Through Native Art.” My museum has partnered with four different Native Nations to let them speak about their own experience of the hundreds of mounds across the state of Tennessee, and to highlight contemporary Native artists whose work speaks to mounds and connection to the land. It is the first time that we’ve done a truly collaborative exhibition with Native Nations. Like most museums, we have been responsible for a lot of pain in these communities in the recent past, and so I feel a lot of pressure for us to do this exhibition correctly and to listen carefully to our partners. There’s a lot of unlearning of past museum practices and training that is a part of the work. After years of working together on the exhibition, we have relationships with our co-curators and artists. Now that I know them and care for them, I feel an even greater obligation to do right by our partners. This is reciprocity. I know that my work on this project must be respectful and come from a deeply compassionate part of my heart.

There have been many nights that anxiety about the project has kept me awake. I’ve even wanted to run away from the work, because the pressure scares me. But I know it is simply because I care so much.

My experience of illness has also pushed me to take more risks. I have an incurable type of brain cancer. This has been hard, but it has also compelled me to make sure I’m doing the work that I want to do, and to not wait. None of us know how much time we have, so I try and do all of the things that are meaningful to me right now, and not in some imagined future.

In some ways, by staying at the same institution for the last decade, one could assume that I’ve tried to avoid risk. There could be some truth to this. However, what I’ve found is that by staying in the same community for years, I’ve been able to build relationships that led to exciting new projects. When we are in relation to our community, risk goes up, because we have a responsibility to those relationships. I think that both in academia and in an American culture that places a huge emphasis on independence, there can be a deep aversion to reciprocity–the notion that we have an obligation to care for others. But caring for others brings meaning and is the only way that true partnership can flourish.

When I talk to my colleagues about our work, I say that my compass is to keep my heart open and my intentions genuine. While mistakes are inevitable, I feel confident that if I focus on that personal intention, my work will be good.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

For most of us that work in museums, our careers started as (often unpaid) interns. My first internship was at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, followed by an internship at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College. I started my career after graduating from Oxford University at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in D.C. and held various positions at the Smithsonian Photography Initiative and the Smithsonian Institution Archives before landing at the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee.

I was lucky enough to have amazing training, but it’s only in the last few years that I feel I’ve really been able to put my training into play as I’ve moved into leadership positions.

My job is very regular 8-5 hours and is pretty demanding meeting and energy-wise. My ability to be in a leadership role is tied to having a supportive husband with a flexible schedule and a willingness to pick up the slack in terms of child care, as well as an amazing nanny. That support, and a wonderful executive director, and wonderful team. This is a challenge that many women with children face in the workplace.

One of the things that most excites me is mentoring a new generation of students. Our museum is dedicated to giving academic credit or paying our interns. I am so happy that as museums have evolved, students can be trained from day one in ethical, responsible museum practices.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Knoxville is such a great little city. Our slogan is: a-nature-loving-adventure-seeking-artsy-kinda-town, and that’s a good descriptor. On a nice-weather day, my family is at Ijams Nature Preserve or the William Hastie Natural Area. There are great walks at both, and in the summer, swimming Ijams’ quarry. While I won’t tell you my spots, there’s even some good wild mushroom foraging. Those are both on the South Side of Knoxville where there are also some great restaurants. We love to grab cocktails and Cambodian inspired food at Landing House. There are picnic tables outside, and the vibe is family-friendly. We also like the Día De food truck and South Side Garage for a family-friendly hang after hiking. Stanley’s Greenhouse and Everything Mushrooms are nearby and will tempt to spend way too much money on plants and growing kits.

For art and a shot of culture, my own museum on University of Tennessee’s campus, the McClung Museum is awesome and often hosts free public and family programs, the Ewing Gallery across the street has a great contemporary art program. We are also lucky to have the Knoxville Museum of Art, which is the only museum highlighting the art of East Tennessee. Near campus, Sunspot is a great casual restaurant that has something for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Our First Fridays on the 100 block of Gay Street are also amazing for the gallery hopping. Typically, there’s music, or it’s easy to catch a concert at the gorgeous Tennessee Theatre or the Bijou Theatre. Downtown, some of my fav spots are elevated Jewish deli food at Potchke; amazing pizza and salad at A Dopo; vegan ice cream at Cruze Farm, and cocktails or mocktails at Public House.

My own neighborhood, Old North Knoxville/Happy Holler deserves a shout-out. It’s fun to simply walk around and see the old historic houses. We are also lucky enough to have a tiny independent movie theatre, Central Cinema; an amazing natural wine bar, Zero Zero; Mister Freezo for old school soft-serve; and nearby, bagels at Paysan and the German beer garden at SchulzBrau. There are so many breweries in North Knoxville, it would be hard to choose, so doing a bar hop would also be fun. I would end at Pretentious Beer in Old City to buy one of their hand-blown whiskey glasses as a souvenir.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I would like to give a shout-out to our partners on this work at the McClung Museum: Cherokee Nation, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

I am also indebted to my amazing collaborators: Sadie Counts, Dr. Lisa King, Dr. Ellen Lofaro, as well as our director, Claudio Gómez, and the rest of our amazing staff.

Website: https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/

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