Tony Cragg at his studio in Wuppertal, Germany.
PARIS.- The Japan Art Association announced the names of this year’s Praemium Imperiale Laureates. Four of the five awards are to be presented to European-based artists. The French artist, Daniel Buren for painting. The Swiss based, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron for architecture. The British artist, Tony Cragg for sculpture and the Berlin based Daniel Barenboim for music. Only the category of Theatre/Film has a Laureate based elsewhere; the legendary American, Ellen Stewart.
Painting: Daniel Buren
Sculpture: Tony Cragg
Architecture: Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron
Music: Daniel Barenboim
Theatre/Film: Ellen Stewart
Although four of the five Laureates are European based, an unusual situation in itself, each artist works in a truly global way. Daniel Buren lives in Paris but works in situ, wherever he is to be exhibited, most recently working for a major show in London’s Lisson Gallery. Tony Cragg, although born in the UK has lived in Germany for the past 30 years, with his major studio in Wuppertal while simultaneously developing his drawing work in Sweden. Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron have projects all around the world, currently their National Stadium in Beijing is mid-construction, and so travel globally to supervise their many projects. Daniel Barenboim works as the General Music Director of the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and also as Music Director for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. His prodigious talents mean that he is invited to perform internationally, most recently participating in this year’s Proms series in London’s Royal Albert Hall. These artists reflect the reality of the new generation of major arts figures who work internationally and who are truly global both in influence and lifestyle.
Laureates from four of these categories will be present at the Maison de la Culture du Japon a Paris for the announcement of this year’s Laureates. Prince Hitachi, the Honorary Patron of The Japan Art Association and younger brother of the current Emperor of Japan will be present with his wife, Princess Hitachi. On 16th October the Prince and Princess will preside over the formal Awards Ceremony and Banquet for all five Laureates in Tokyo.
The awards, now in their 19th year, were created to honour artists whose work has made a significant mark on their particular field and who have made a real international impact. They are the richest arts awards, each artist being presented with 15 million yen (c£90,000). There is an additional award for young artists, The Grant for Young Artists, this year being given to the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a young Israeli/Arab orchestra co-founded by Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said.
