German sculptor Wolfgang Laib and Japanese graphic designer and artist Tadanori Yokoo are among the five artists who have been named winners of the 2015 edition of the 27th Praemium Imperiale global arts prize.
Taking out the Sculpture and Painting sectors, Laib and Yokoo each receive a price of 15 million yen (approximately US$124,000) as well as a testimonial letter and a gold medal.
The other winners are Dominique Perrault in the Architecture sector, pianist Mitsuko Uchida in the music sector, and ballerina Sylvie Guillem in the Theatre/Film sector.
Awarded annually by the Japan Art Association, the prize recognizes and awards artists for their impact and on the international arts scene and for their role in enriching the global art community.
Candidates are proposed by six nomination committees, each chaired by an International Advisor, and the winner is then selected by the Board of Trustees of the Japan Art Association.
The Praemium Imperiale group of prizes was established in 1989 according to the last wishes of Prince Takamatsu who passed away in 1988.
According to the Japan Art Association, the Praemium Imperiale “is based on the idea that the arts celebrate man’s creativity and are the reflection of his spirit and enduring legacy.”
