Category Archives: artist residency

Eliza McKenna (b. 1997, Woodstock, NY) is an artist and mystic based in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work moves between photography, writing, and experimental materials to explore grief, memory, and consciousness within and beyond the body. She is interested in the image’s potential to uncover our thoughts, feelings, and unconscious beliefs.

McKenna works within an idealist paradigm in which consciousness exists as the underlying reality of all physical form. Her practice is rooted in a desire to build visual systems for organizing her connection to this fundamental Source energy. Drawing from Eastern thought, philosophy, and mystical systems, she investigates what remains after death, how presence and absence manifest in form, and her own perception. Photography often serves as a starting point of investigating the world around her, but she moves beyond traditional representation into layered surfaces, text, and objecthood that invite viewers to interact and bring their unique historical consciousness to the image.

She holds a BA in Film Studies from Wesleyan University and an MFA in Photography from Pratt Institute. Her work has grown through dialogue with both intellectual and mystical traditions, situating her within a lineage of artists seeking to bring to light the ways art can expand human perception.Eliza McKenna (b. 1997, Woodstock, NY) is an artist and mystic based in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work moves between photography, writing, and experimental materials to explore grief, memory, and consciousness within and beyond the body. She is interested in the image’s potential to uncover our thoughts, feelings, and unconscious beliefs.

1987　Born in Tokyo, Japan.
2011　BFA, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Oil painting course.
2014　MFA, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Oil painting course.
2015-2016　Residency of Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris.
2017-2018　Learning as exchange at Beaux-Arts de Paris.
2019　PhD, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.
2024- Kyoto University of the Arts, Lecturer

Prize
2019　Winning the 2nd International Art Exhibition in Makurazaki Prize
2017　Kan-hikari Arts prize
2016　GEIDAIxMARUNOUCHI Arts Prize
2015　Supported by Japan Arts Foundation
2015　Scholar of Ishibashi Foundation for Traveling Scholarship Program of Geidai
2014　Winning the Takahashi Geiyu-kai prize
2011　Winning the Mr.O prize
2008　Winning the Keiichiro Kume prize

Public Collection
The University Art Museum / GEIDAI, Tokyo, Japan
Minakami Collection / Gunma prefecture, Japan

Solo Exhibition
2024　Long Slow Distance / Kyoto, Japan
2021　 VIENTO ARTS GALLERY / Takasaki, Japan
2020　 Rise Gallery / Toyko, Japan
2019　 iGallery DC / Yamanashi, Japan
2018　 Ai Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2018　Small exhibition galerie Ichi-gatsu to Shichi-gatsu / Paris, France
2016　<VISIBLE/IMVISIBLE/LESS-VISIBLE> City des arts Paris / Paris, Tokyo
2013　 SUZUYA Draper’s shop / Tokyo, Japan
2010　 Open Studio&Gallery SUZULOHAKO / Tokyo, Japan
2009　< trim.> HIMAWARI Garden / Tokyo, Japan

Group Exhibitions & Works
2026　BEST ONE of 4 artist vol.03 / iGalleryDC, Japan
2026　From Lanna to Contemporary-Sculrture:The Interpretations of thai Stucco art / Chiangmai, Thailand
2025　Watashi tachi no Banpaku / Amagasaki, Japan
2023　Roppongi Art Night / National Museum Tokyo, Japan
2023　Nakanojo Biennale 2023 / Gunma, Japan
2022　 Yuga Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2022　 Chiangmai art museum / Chiang-mai, Thailand
2021　 Akaiwa-village(Gunma), Japan
2019　 Akaiwa-village(Gunma), Japan
2019　 Spiral / Tokyo, Japan
2018　 The University Arts Museum / Tokyo, Japan
2018　 Sennyu-ji / Kyoto, Japan
2018　 Design Festa Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2018　 Shoei Dormitory / Kyoto, Japan
2018　 Galerie Droite / Paris, France
2018　 Gallery Droite et Gauche / Paris, France
2017　 Maison du Japon / Paris, France
2017　 Cour Vitrée du Palais des études / Paris, France
2017　 ZHdK×GEIDAI project Yuga Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2016　 art & rever bank / Tokyo, Japan
2016　 Kunstverein Jahnstrasse e.V. / Braunschweig, Germany
2016　 blanClass / Yokohama, Japan
2016　 Minakami onsen village / Gunma, Japan
2016　 project room of Geidai / Tokyo, Japan
2016　 Centre Commercial Avaricum / Bourges, France
2015　<ZHdK&GEIDAI – Half-open, Half-collapsed, Half-understood> Chinretsu kan / Tokyo, Japan
2015　 Tokyo University of the Arts / Tokyo, Japan
2015　 Ai Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2015　 Obiya Sutematsu / Kyoto, Japan
2015　 Itadaki BLD. / Tokyo, Japan
2015　 Gallery Hakusen / Tokyo, Japan
2014　 Hiunkaku / Kagawa, Japan
2014　 Yuga Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2013　 The University Art Museum / Tokyo, Japan
2013　 Art Space1,2 / Tokyo, Japan
2012　 Harada rice shop / Chiba, Japan
2012　 Tokyo University of the Art / Tokyo, Japan
2011　 [five shows a year] Yuga Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2011　 Ueno Break Station Gallery / Tokyo, Japan
2011　<4th The Pyramid Scheme> RED CUBE Project Room / Tokyo, Japan
2010　 KOJIMA ART PLAZA / Tokyo, Japan
2009　 Embassy of France former building / Tokyo, Japan
2009　 OpenStudio&Gallery SUZULOHAKO / Tokyo, Japan
2009　 Tower Hall FUNABORI / Chiba, Japan
2009　<GEIDAI＆QCA joint project – HASHI HASHI> QCA Gliffith Univ.The Galleria / Queensland, Australia
2008　<GEIDAI＆QCA joint project – PLANET UENO> Old SAKAMOTO elementary school / Tokyo, Japan
2008　 Tokyo University of the Arts / Tokyo, Japan