The biennial exhibition Made in Colorado returns to the Emmanuel Art Gallery this summer. A culturally significant exhibition featuring work from artists from Durango to Steamboat, Grand Junction to Fort Morgan, Made in Colorado never fails to capture the vibe of the Centennial State, and this year's offering is no different.

“As I reviewed the submissions, I was struck by the depth of thought, material experimentation, and cultural resonance present in the work,” says juror and curator Larry Ossei-Mensah.

On display from June 25 to September 12, 2025, Made in Colorado features work from about 40 artists who answered an open call for submission. Ossei-Mensah said he “sought to highlight a range of voices that reflect Colorado’s multifaceted cultural landscape” and that he prioritized “conceptual rigor, technical execution, and a distinct point of view.”

Ossei-Mensah brings his global perspective, curatorial expertise, and deep commitment to artistic innovation, ensuring a platform that celebrates the vibrant and diverse creative voices shaping Colorado’s cultural landscape. Previously, Ossei-Mensah’s curatorial work in Colorado includes Guadalupe Maravilla: Purring Monsters with Mirrors on Their Backs (2022, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver) and Amoako Boafo: Souls of Black Folks (2023, 2024, Denver Art Museum).

Visitors Will Encounter Both New and Familiar Artists

Some artists who have had work on display in the Emmanuel Art Gallery before are featured in Made in Colorado 2025. They include Laura Merage, Nikki Pike, Julie Puma, Trine Bumiller, and CU Denver professor Rian Kerrane. Seasoned artists as well as upcoming ones are featured in the exhibition. A full list of artists can be viewed on the Emmanuel's site.

Ossei-Mensah’s aim for the exhibition is “to amplify the region's artistic vitality while creating space for critical dialogue and cross-pollination.” He also hopes the exhibition serves “as a celebration of creative excellence and a catalyst for ongoing connection across Colorado’s rich and diverse arts ecosystem.”

About Made in Colorado and the Emmanuel Art Gallery

Made in Colorado will happen at the Emmanuel Art Gallery, part of the University of Colorado Denver's College of Arts & Media. In the spirit of the gallery’s historic annual juried Colorado exhibition, “Zip 802,” the Emmanuel resurrected this important tradition in 2018 to include artists from all over the state. Built in 1876, the Emmanuel is the oldest religious structure in Denver and the first building in Colorado on the National Historic Register. As the Auraria campus was built, the Emmanuel was converted to one of Colorado's earliest contemporary art spaces in 1976 and has become a forerunner in Denver's cultural community. Given its significance to the state and Colorado’s artistic community, the Emmanuel provides the perfect backdrop for this Colorado-centric exhibition.

About the Juror

Larry Ossei-Mensah is a Ghanaian-American curator, cultural critic, and global advocate for contemporary art whose boundary-pushing practice continues to shape the art world. With a career spanning continents, he has curated groundbreaking exhibitions and projects in Manila, London, Athens, São Paulo, Rome, and beyond, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to amplifying diverse voices and fostering meaningful cultural exchange. His curatorial vision has brought him into collaboration with some of today’s most influential artists, including Steve McQueen, Catherine Opie, Judy Chicago, Melissa Joseph, and Chase Hall, as he expands the narratives of contemporary art.

Ossei-Mensah has held pivotal roles as the Susanne Feld Hilberry Senior Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) and Curator-at-Large at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), where he spearheaded transformative initiatives that challenged conventions and championed underrepresented perspectives. His curatorial impact spans leading institutions such as the Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD) San Francisco, MASS MoCA, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), Artpace San Antonio, the 7th Athens Biennale, MCA Denver, The Metropolitan Museum of Manila, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Denver Art Museum, solidifying his reputation as a dynamic force in the global art community.

A passionate advocate for cultural dialogue and creative empowerment, Ossei-Mensah is the co-founder of ARTNOIR, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering connections and opportunities for artists, curators, and communities historically underrepresented in the arts. His current projects include The Poetics of Dimensions at ICA San Francisco, and in spring 2025, he will unveil Sonia Gomes: Abre Alas at Storm King Art Center, a highly anticipated exhibition curated in collaboration with Nora Lawrence, the institution’s Executive Director.