The award for Third Place and recipient of the $500 prize in round two of the inaugural, 2026 Capital Square Prize, goes to Diana Antohe (M.F.A. ’19), a Romanian-American visual artist and educator based in New Orleans.
Diana Antohe (M.F.A. ’19) won third prize as a part of the Capital Square Prize, round two, juried exhibition. The Capital Prize, made possible through a partnership between VCUarts and Capital Square, presents an opportunity for Painting and Printmaking alumni to showcase their work within the Capital Square’s new Chasen building in Scott’s Addition. The Capital Prize exhibitions, featuring the work of prize finalists, celebrate the creative legacy of the building as the historic home of N. Chasen & Son paint company as it is transformed into Chasen, a vibrant new residential development bridging Richmond’s artistic past and future.
Artist Biogaphy
Alum Diana Antohe (M.F.A. ’19) is a Romanian-American visual artist and educator based in New Orleans. Born in Romania and raised in Dallas, Texas, Antohe’s practice is centered in the reach towards the country of her original citizenship, and the familial relationships that have always defined her understanding of Romania. Through painting, drawing and sewing, Antohe creates work with cues from the systems of value and care she has inherited from the examples of her parents and grandparents. She has held residencies in Künstlerhaus Bethanien (Berlin), Can Serrat (Spain), Vermont Studio Center (Vermont), and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.