Aya Sekiguchi

Aya Sekiguchi is a contemporary artist based in Toyama, Japan. Her paintings are inspired by a deep reverence for nature and a sensibility close to animism—the belief that life exists within all things.

For several years, she was known for her contemplative "Blue Series." Her choice of this palette is deeply rooted in her upbringing; having moved frequently during her childhood, she developed a sensitive intuition for the unique colors of each land she inhabited. Among these, it was the profound blue of her hometown—shaped by the majestic Tateyama mountains and the Sea of Japan—that resonated most deeply within her each time she returned.

By late 2023, however, Sekiguchi faced a professional plateau. Seeking to break through this stagnation, she embarked on a two-year journey (2024–2025) that blended artistic residency with temporary labor in diverse regions. Driven initially by financial necessity, this period evolved into a spiritual and artistic pilgrimage. She found herself drawn to sacred and cultural sites across Japan—including Mount Koya, Iki Island, and a remote mountain village known as an international center for performing arts. Immersing herself in these environments of profound stillness and creative intensity serve...

Self-taught artist

2015
・Ryugujo no Aru Tokoro (Ushijimaya Gallery / now Machinosu, Toyama, Japan)

2017
・POP JAPAN 2017 (HANASHO, Australia)
・Flowers and Cats (Machinosu, Toyama, Japan)

2018
・Japanism 2 (PLEIADES GALLERY, USA)

2019
・Egaku, Kendama Exhibition (ondo tosabori, Osaka / ondo STAY & EXHIBITION, Tokyo, Japan)
・SICF20 (SPIRAL, Tokyo, Japan)
・Independent TOKYO (Hulic Hall, Tokyo, Japan)
・Songs of Living Creatures (Gallery Hiiro, Ishikawa, Japan)

2020
・Hakutai no Tsukihi (Gallery Mamezo, Nagano, Japan)
・Gunjo (Gallery Hiiro, Ishikawa, Japan)

2021
・Himitsu no Niwa (Karin-en, Toyama, Japan)
・UNKNOWN ASIA 2021 (Grand Front Osaka,Osaka, Japan)

2022
・Flowers (Ushijimaya Maimukan, Toyama, Japan)
・Cats in the Flower Garden (Meguri, Toyama, Japan)
・Sekiguchi Aya Painting Exhibition “Days Spun in Blue” (Tonami Sankyoson Museum, Toyama, Japan)
・Aya Sekiguchi × Fujiki Takashi Two-Person Exhibition “When Stones Become Flowers” (Selene Museum, Toyama, Japan)
・Art Program TOYAMA ART STOP (Central Toyama City, Japan)

2023
・ART DECORATION 2023 (Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan)
・Gallery’R Exhibition (REAL Style, Imperial Hotel Plaza Tokyo Showroom, Japan)
・Biennale TOYAMA 2023 (Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design, Japan)
・Solo Exhibition Sto...