VCUarts × Capital Square: The Capital Prize Comes to Life at Chasen
At Capital Square, “across-the-board excellence” means more than being a premier tax-advantaged real estate investment sponsor or delivering best-in-class real estate. It’s a commitment to creating places that elevate everyday life economically and culturally. In Richmond, Virginia, that philosophy has come to life through our partnership with VCUarts and the launch of the Capital Prize, a juried exhibition series now on display at Chasen, a stunning mixed-use multifamily development that is also Capital Square’s latest opportunity zone delivery.
Our collaboration with VCUarts reflects a shared belief: thriving neighborhoods are built not only with strong fundamentals and thoughtful design, but with meaningful connections to the local character that makes a city exceptional.
A partnership built on shared values
Richmond’s creative energy is one of its defining strengths, and the VCU School of the Arts has long been at the center of that ecosystem. The Capital Prize expands opportunities for VCUarts Painting + Printmaking alumni to place their work in a high-visibility setting and help connect artists with new audiences.
Located within Richmond’s Scott’s Addition neighborhood, Chasen is a 352-unit, Class A multifamily community designed to deliver a modern residential experience while contributing to a district known for its momentum. Chasen also carries a unique historical thread: the site’s legacy includes the former N. Chasen & Son paint company, making it a fitting home for a program celebrating contemporary painting and printmaking.
The Capital Prize exhibition is installed across two floors of gallery space within the building, weaving art into the resident and visitor experience, as well as within sight of those walking by on the sidewalks of Scott’s Addition. Thus, in the launch of this prize, only weeks after Chasen first opened its doors to residents, the community has proof that placemaking can be both intentional and inspiring.
The Inaugural Capital Prize
For Round One, Capital Prize exhibition juror Leila Grothe, Operations Manager at Ruth Arts foundation in Milwaukee, selected 20 artworks from 73 submissions, showcasing work by 19 artists in the exhibition. Across all three awardees, a common thread emerges: ambitious ideas executed with discipline, craft and clarity — qualities we recognize and champion across everything we build.
First Prize: Natalia Mejía Murillo — Pillar and Cadence
Natalia Mejía Murillo (M.F.A. ’23) received First Place for Pillar and Cadence (pillar: blown and laser-engraved glass and reclaimed wood, 78” x 6” x 4”; cadence: cast iron and pencil, 12” x 8” x 8”, 2026). Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Murillo is a visual artist whose work explores territory, repetition, trace and time, drawing connections among astronomy, cartography and archaeology. In Pillar and Cadence, those themes translate into a contemplative 3D presentation rooted in transformation that invites viewers to slow down and consider how place, history, technology and creativity shape what we think we know.
Second Prize: Luis Vasquez La Roche — A Few Rules for Predicting the Future
Second Place was awarded to Luis Vasquez La Roche (M.F.A. ’20) for A Few Rules for Predicting the Future (oil paint on wood panel, 48” x 48”, 2025). An artist and educator who resides between Trinidad and Tobago and Virginia, La Roche brings a perspective shaped by movement, lived experience and inquiry. They are a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Design at George Mason University. The awarded work evokes the complex realities that exist behind the superficial layers of shimmer in modern life, an approach that feels especially resonant in a rapidly changing world.
Third Prize: Eleanor Mahin Thorp — Trölls
Third Place went to Eleanor Mahin Thorp (M.F.A. ’22) for Trölls, (oil on panel, 2024), which stood out for its confident voice and compelling presence, infused with texture, movement and narrative intrigue. Thorp’s practice has earned attention beyond the gallery. Her work has been featured by Yellowstone Public Radio and in outlets including The Washington Post and Anarchist Review of Books. She currently teaches at The City College of New York (CUNY).
Excellence you can experience
The Capital Prize is more than an exhibition; it’s an expression of what we believe real estate can do. When communities transform because of private investment and when development is executed at a high level, a platform is built for community partnerships, cultural investment and shared pride.
At Chasen, residents don’t just rent an apartment. They step into a place shaped by Richmond’s identity, with art that sparks conversation in lobbies, corridors and gathering spaces. That’s across-the-board excellence: collaborative partnerships, elevated design and honored history, while supporting local-grown talent and built environments where people genuinely want to live, play, work and invest.
Disclosure
Securities offered through WealthForge Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Capital Square and WealthForge Securities, LLC are separate entities. There are material risks associated with investing in DST properties and real estate securities including illiquidity, tenant vacancies, general market conditions and competition, lack of operating history, interest rate risks, the risk of new supply coming to market and softening rental rates, general risks of owning/operating commercial and multifamily properties, short-term leases associated with multifamily properties, financing risks, potential adverse tax consequences, general economic risks, development risks, long hold periods, and potential loss of the entire investment principal. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Potential cash flow, returns and appreciation are not guaranteed. IRC Section 1031 is a complex tax concept; consult your legal or tax professional regarding the specifics of your particular situation. This is not a solicitation or an offer to sell any securities. Please read the Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) in its entirety, paying careful attention to the risk section prior to investing. Private placements are speculative and illiquid. Diversification does not guarantee profits or protect against losses. FINRA Broker Check link: https://brokercheck.finra.org/.
