Twelve artists' works to join CU Denver's permanent collection

Twelve works by contemporary artists will join the permanent art collection at the University of Colorado Denver. The pieces will be installed across the campus beginning in January 2027.

The addition stems from a donation by Brian Tschumper, a 1986 bachelor of arts graduate in chemistry, and his partner Benton Greer. Unlike typical university holdings that remain in storage or museums, these works will be displayed in areas frequented by students. The designated locations include the Student Commons Building, Tivoli Annex, and the Business School.

To mark the start of the permanent collection, the Emmanuel Art Gallery opened an exhibition titled “Orange Chip: Works from the Brian Tschumper Collection.” The show opened on Oct. 16 and runs through Dec. 11. It features work from 23 artists within Tschumper's private holdings.

Sarah Watson, director and curator of the CU Denver Art Galleries, curated the exhibition. Andrew Palamara, the gallery coordinator, provided support for the installation. The display includes six artists who are part of the new permanent collection: Julie Buffalohead of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, Kent Monkman of the Cree, Cara Romero of the Chemehuevi, Rose B. Simpson of the Santa Clara Pueblo, William Villalongo, and Steven Yazzi of the Diné.

Tschumper described his collecting practice as being done “with the institution in mind.” The donation returns his interest in the arts ecosystem to the public university where he studied. The opening reception attended by students, faculty, staff, and community members served to introduce the public to the donor and the breadth of the collection.