“Vessels of Light”
April 4th (Saturday) - May 2nd (Saturday), 2026
In exploring ways of put down roots in her two homelands, Japan and Romania, Scripcariu-Ochiai Ana has created works including installations, photographies, videos, and paintings, all centered on the theme of “the bond between land and people”. This exhibition presents a series of works created during a year-long residency in Romania from December 2022, capturing on film lives rooted in the land, its people, religious beliefs, and nature.
This solo exhibition marks the artist’s confrontation head-on with the photographs in this work, which was previously presented as an installation using a slide projector.
Additionally, the artist will present a portfolio (a set of five prints in a custom box) featuring paintings created while researching cultural anthropology -specifically indigenous festivals and folk beliefs- across various locations both in Japan and abroad, which have been adapted into prints.
Scripcariu-Ochiai Ana “Vessels of Light”
April 4th (Saturday) – May 2nd (Saturday), 2026
Wednesday – Friday : 13:00 – 19:00
Saturday : 13:00 – 17:00
Tuesday : by appointment only
Closed on Sunday and Monday
Venue： The Third Gallery Aya, Wakasa Bld.2F/4F 1-8-24 Edobori, Nishi-ku Osaka, Japan
550-0002
https://thethirdgalleryaya.com/
1. Reception
April 4th (Saturday) 17:00 – 18:00
2. Artist Talk
April 25th (Saturday) 17:30 – 19:00
The artist will discuss her work. The event will be held in person, also be streamed and archived on YouTube.
Participation fee : ¥1,000
Venue : The Third Gallery Aya (The session will be streamed and archived on YouTube)
Reservation : info@thethirdgalleryaya.com / 06-6445-3557
Or via registration form.
Detailed information will be sent after your reservation.
A photo book Vessels of Light will be published by AKAAKA ART PUBLISHING Inc. in conjunction with this exhibition.
Supported by KA FACTORY
Ana Scripcariu-Ochiai
Biography
| 1992 | Born in Saitama, Japan |
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| 2016 | Graduated from the Oil painting Department of the Tokyo University of the Arts with top honors |
| 2019 | Graduated from the Global Art Practice Master's course of the Tokyo University of the Arts |
| 2022-2024 | Overseas researcher of the Pola Art Foundation in Romania |
| 2025 | Graduated from the Sculpture Ph.D. of the Tokyo University of the Arts |
Prize
| 2024 | "Top 100 Romanians active in the world - Art category • Awarded"Newsweek Romania & Le Patriot, Romania |
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| 2022 | 30 ARTISTS U35 2022, ARTnews Japan |
| 2021 | TERRADA ART AWARD 2021, Prize from Meruro Washida |
| 2020 | Forbes Japan 30 UNDER 30 LSRS ARTS AWARD, 2021 Y.A.C. RESULTS 2020, Romania |
| 2019 | Comité colbert award 2019 -Reiwa : New generation-, finalist |
| 2018 | The 5th Contemporary Art Foundation Award, finalist |
| 2017 | The 7th Innovative Artist exhibition, finalist , Kawaguchi Art Gallery ATLIA, Saitama |
| 2016 | Graduation show Oil painting Department of the Tokyo University of the Arts, top honor and purchase by The University Museum |
| 2015 | UENO GEIYU AWARD |
Solo Exhibitions
| 2026 | Vessel of Light, The Third Gallery Aya, Osaka, Japan |
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| 2024 | Ana Scripcariu-Ochiai Publication Commemoration Exhibition Vessel of Light supported by ARToVILLA, OFS GALLERY, Tokyo |
| 2021 | The beginning of my journey is the beginning of your journey. ANB Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan journey AKIO NAGASAWA GALLERY AOYAMA, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2020 | Artist project＃2.05 Blessing beyond the borders, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan Imagine opposite shore, GINZA TSUTAYA BOOKS・GINZA SIX, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2019 | one's final home, nap gallery, Tokyo, Japan mirrors, Bambinart Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2018 | Outline to flicker, Bambinart Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2017 | trance, Bambinart Gallery, Tokyo, Japan Intersect, 634展示室, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2016 | Outline to flicker, GALLERY b.TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan |
Group Exhibitions
| 2025 | TOP 30th Anniversary Contemporary Japanese Photography vol. 22, TOKYO PHOTOGRAPHIC ART MUSEUM, Tokyo, Japan FaN Week 2025 The Collectors IV, Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan VOCA 2025 The Vision of Contemporary Art, The Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan POLA MUSEUM ANNEX 2025- Tracing the roots -, POLA MUSEUM ANNEX, Tokyo, Japan Blooming towards the sky, POLA MUSEUM ANNEX, Tokyo, Japan Our Reply: 1975-2025, agnès b. galerie boutique, Tokyo, Japan Remote Sensing, George Paton Gallery, Australia Seesaws, WHAT CAFE, Tokyo, Japan |
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| 2024 | NORTHERN ALPS ART FESTIVAL 2024, Nagano, Japan “New "Artists Today" Exhibition 2024: I Found Myself in You”, YOKOHAMA CIVIC ART GALLERY, Kanagawa, Japan Bucharest Photofest 2024, Bucharest, Romania P.O.N.D.2024 SIDE BY SIDE, Shibuya PARCO, Tokyo, Japan Revealed – 3 personal collections–, Joytech Collection, Terui Collection, G foundation Collection, Yokohama Civic Art Gallery Azamino, Kanagawa, Japan |
| 2023 | ARTnews JAPAN VIP Lounge at Casa Valextra, CASA VALEXTRA, Kyoto, Japan MEET YOUR ART FESTIVAL 2023, Intersecting Perceptions, Tokyo, Japan MEET YOUR ART FESTIVAL 202, ART FAIR PICK UP ARTIST, Tokyo, Japan The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama Collection Exhibition, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Saitama, Japan Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2023 Unmanned Arc, Osaka, Japan |
| 2021 | , Warehouse TERRADA, Tokyo, Japan Over the fence, COURTYARD HIROO, Tokyo, Japan Say Hello to Strangers, Various places in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa, Japan breakzenya 『Bijutsutecho』 General Editor, Teiya Iwabuchi Selection, GINZA TSUTAYA BOOKS・GINZA SIX, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2020 | ENCOUNTERS, ANB Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan Y.A.C. RESULTS 2020, The National Museum of Contemporary Art , Romania, Romania breakzenya in HILLSIDE TERRACE 38 artists selected by Tomio Koyama, Daikanyama Hillside Forum・Hillside terrace, Tokyo, Japan Y - generation artists, GINZA TSUTAYA BOOKS GINZA ATRIUM・GINZA SIX, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2019 | Comité colbert award 2019 -Reiwa : New generation-, Tokyo University of the Arts Museum, Tokyo, Japan Bridge, Hoi An (World heritage), Vietnam Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Selection Group Exhibition 2019 Imagine Constellation-Past, Present, Future, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan KUMA EXHIBITION 2019, Spiral, Tokyo, Japan |
| 2018 | The 5th Contemporary Art Foundation Award finalist exhibition, Daikanyama Hillside Forum・Hillside terrace, Tokyo, Japan Ascending Art Annual Vol.2 まつり、まつる, WACOAL STUDYHALL KYOTO, Kyoto, Japan Ascending Art Annual Vol.2 まつり、まつる, SPIRAL, Tokyo, Japan Eve before break - Next generation artists ~, Bunkamura Gallery／Tokyo (Shibuya), Japan KUMA EXHIBITION 2018, SPIRAL, Tokyo(Omotesando), Japan |
| 2017 | ZUSHI Art Festival, ZUSHI city, Kanagawa, Japan Invisible: In the Eye of the Double Spiral |
Art Fair
| 2025 | Art Fair Tokyo 2025, Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan |
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| 2023 | Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) Special Programs, Kyoto International Conference Center, Kyoto, Japan |
| 2019 | 3331 ART FAIR 2019 |
Grants
| 2025 | istyle Art Foundation |
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| 2023 | Ladder Project powered by Daimaru Matsuzakaya |
| 2022 | POLA ART FOUNDATION」 KUMA FOUNDATION 22-A Activity support business |
| 2021 | KUMA FOUNDATION 21-A Activity support business DMM. make AKIBA Start line program |
| 2020 | DMM. make AKIBA Start line program |
| 2019 | Japan Arts Foundation scholarship student DMM. make AKIBA Start line program |
| 2018 | KUMA FOUNDATION Creators Scholarship |
| 2017 | KUMA FOUNDATION Creators Scholarship |
| 2015 | ISHIBASHI FOUNDATION （Turkey, Germany, Poland, the U.K. for a research for two months） |
Lecture
| 2022 | Art History "Eurasia" Guest Lecturer, Temple University Japan |
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| 2021 | Art History "Eurasia" Guest Lecturer, Temple University Japan |
Publishing
| 2026 | Vessels of Light, AKAAKA Art Publishing |
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| 2022 | Ana Scripcariu-Ochiai ･ The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, solo exhibition catalog Blessing Beyond the Borders |
Public collection
| 2022 | Blessing Beyond the Borders (2019), The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan Double Horizon (2020), The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan Double Horizon (2022), The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan |
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| 2016 | It is the furthest = It is the nearest (2016), The University Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan |
Residence
| 2022 | KUMOMA, Wakayama, Japan |
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| 2019 | World Heritage of Hoi An, Vietnam |
Work shop
| 2019 | Singapore Contemporary Art Program, Singapore |
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| 2016 | Global art joint curriculum 2016, Paris Unit, Tokyo University of Arts and Beaux-Arts de Paris / World Heritage of Château de Chambord, France |