Images, from left: Kent Monkman, Violet Chum, 2023. Acrylic on canvas, 60 x 40 in. Water is Sacred print by Isaac Murdoch and Christi Belcourt. From the Brian Tschumper Collection, generously donated to the University of Colorado Denver by Brian Tschumper (BA Chemistry, 1986) and Benton Greer. Image courtesy of the artist, © Kent Monkman; William Villalongo, You Can't See Me, 2017. Acrylic, paper collage and cut velour paper, 40 x 39 in. Sheet, 45 x 43 3/4 in. Frame. From the Brian Tschumper Collection, generously donated to the University of Colorado Denver by Brian Tschumper (BA Chemistry, 1986) and Benton Greer. Image courtesy of © Villalongo Studio LLC and Susan Inglett Gallery, NYC; Steven Yazzie, Death of Curator #3, 2024. Oil on canvas, 30 x 30 in. From the Brian Tschumper Collection, generously donated to the University of Colorado Denver by Brian Tschumper (BA Chemistry, 1986) and Benton Greer. Image courtesy of the artist, © Steven Yazzie; Esteban Cabeza de Baca, Study for Ancestral Dreams, 2026. Acrylic on panel, 12 x 16 in. Brian Tschumper Collection. Image courtesy of the artist, © Esteban Cabeza de Baca; Chelsea Kaiah, The Succulent, 2025. Sead beads, leather, rope, metal findings, 41 x 9 ½ in. Brian Tschumper Collection. Image courtesy of the artist, © Chelsea Kaiah; Andrea Carlson, With Fists, 2025. Ink, gouache, and blood root on paper, Painting: 24 1/4 x 36 x 1 3/4 in.; Frame: 27 5/8 x 39 1/4 x 1 3/4 in. Brian Tschumper Collection. Image courtesy of the artist © Andrea Carlson and Jessica Silverman Gallery. Photo: Chris Grunder.
Orange Chip: Works from the Brian Tschumper Collection
Curated by Sarah Watson, Director & Curator of the CU Denver Art Galleries, with curatorial support from Andrew Palamara, Gallery Coordinator
October 16 – December 11, 2026
Opening Reception: Friday, October 16, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Orange Chip: Works from the Brian Tschumper Collection celebrates the launch of the permanent Art Collection at the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver), which is made possible by the inaugural gift of thirteen artworks from the Brian Tschumper Collection, generously donated by Brian Tschumper (BA Chemistry, 1986) and Benton Greer. This exhibition offers the unique opportunity to look closely at the practice of collecting, while reflecting on how Tschumper became an art collector, found his place within the arts ecosystem, and why collecting with “the institution in mind” has been so important to him.
Orange Chip includes the work of twenty-three artists. Six of these artists Julie Buffalohead, Kent Monkman, Cara Romero, Rose B. Simpson, William Villalongo, and Steven Yazzie have works in the newly formed CU Denver Art Collection. The works from the seventeen other artists—Esteban Cabeza de Baca, Andrea Carlson, Gregg Deal, Justin Favela, Yatika Starr Fields, Jeffrey Gibson, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Brad Kahlhamer, Chelsea Kaiah, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Jenny Morgan, Virgil Ortiz, Wendy Red Star, Eric-Paul Riege, Marie Watt, and Nico Williams—are all on loan from the Tschumper Collection.
The artists in Orange Chip span generations, hold various identities and lived experiences, and approach artmaking from remarkably diverse conceptual and material strategies. The exhibition charts many years of Tschumper’s collecting and includes works from across multiple decades. It also highlights artworks that have had a “POW!” effect on Tschumper—influencing his thinking and collecting.
This exhibition is made possible by the generous support of the College of Arts & Media at the University of Colorado Denver.
More about the CU Denver Art Collection:
The launch of the CU Denver Art Collection is made possible by the inaugural gift of thirteen artworks from the Brian Tschumper Collection, generously donated by Brian Tschumper (BA Chemistry, 1986) and Benton Greer, This important gift includes works by twelve contemporary artists—Julie Buffalohead, José Carlos Martinat, Kent Monkman, Moris (Israel Meza Moreno), Ulf Puder, Cara Romero, Anne Samat, Rose B. Simpson, Derrick Velasquez, William Villalongo, Steven Yazzie, and Xi Zhang. The works by these artists reflects a wide range of cultural perspectives and artistic traditions and their works will enrich CU Denver’s mission to serve a radically inclusive and diverse learning community and to create transformative student experiences. Unlike many university art collections that are displayed in a museum or kept in storage, the works in the CU Denver Art Collection will be installed around campus in student focused locations including in the Student Commons, Tivoli Annex, and CU Denver Business School, among other spaces. Installation of these works will take place in January 2027.