Shelley Burian

Lisa and Bernard Selz Curator

Shelley Burian started as the museum’s Lisa and Bernard Selz Curator in 2021. In this role, she oversees artworks from the Indigenous cultures of the Americas within the museum collections. Her work involves activating the collections for exhibitions and research, as well as engaging students, scholars and heritage communities in learning and dialogue.

Dr. Burian received master’s and doctoral degrees in art history from Emory University, specializing in the art of the ancient Americas. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on connections between Pre-Hispanic textiles and those made during the period of Spanish colonization in Bolivia.

She previously worked at Emory University’s Michael C. Carlos Museum and has experience in curating, teaching and collection development.