Praemium Imperiale

The Praemium Imperiale (jap. 高松宮殿下記念世界文化賞, Takamatsu no miya denka kinen sekai bunka-shō, lit. "World Culture Prize in Memory of His Majesty Prince Takamatsu") is a prize for artists that has been awarded since 1989 at the suggestion of the Emperor of Japan. It is intended to be a "Nobel Prize in art" and an expansion on the Nobel Prize in Literature to other fields of fine art.

The artists awarded are distinguished "for their achievements, for their influence which they exert internationally in their art, and for enriching the world community". The Japan Art Association assigns this annually for an artist's life work in each of five categories: painting, sculpture, architecture, music and film/theatre. It is endowed with a purse of 15 million Yen (2007 about 94,500 €), or about US$150,000.

Former European political leaders who have served on a committee that selects winners of the Praemium Imperiale include Helmut Schmidt of Germany, Sir Edward Heath of Great Britain, Jacques Chirac of France and Amintore Fanfani of Italy. David Rockefeller is an Honorary Advisor and has served as an International Advisor for the prize.

Winners

Painting

*2008: Richard Hamilton
*2007: Daniel Buren
*2006: Yayoi Kusama
*2005: Robert Ryman
*2004: Georg Baselitz
*2003: Bridget Riley
*2002: Sigmar Polke
*2001: Lee Ufan
*2000: Ellsworth Kelly
*1999: Anselm Kiefer
*1998: Robert Rauschenberg
*1997: Gerhard Richter
*1996: Cy Twombly
*1995: Matta
*1994: Zao Wou-ki
*1993: Jasper Johns
*1992: Pierre Soulages
*1991: Balthus
*1990: Antoni Tapies
*1989: Willem de Kooning and David Hockney

Sculpture

*2008: Ilya and Emilia Kabakov
*2007: Tony Cragg
*2006: Christian Boltanski
*2005: Issey Miyake
*2004: Bruce Nauman
*2003: Mario Merz
*2002: Giuliano Vangi
*2001: Marta Pan
*2000: Niki de Saint Phalle
*1999: Louise Bourgeois
*1998: Dani Karavan
*1997: George Segal
*1996: Cesar
*1995: Christo
*1994: Richard Serra
*1993: Max Bill
*1992: Anthony Caro
*1991: Eduardo Chillida
*1990: Arnaldo Pomodoro
*1989: Umberto Mastroianni

Architecture

*2008: Peter Zumthor
*2007: Herzog & de Meuron
*2006: Frei Otto
*2005: Yoshio Taniguchi
*2004: Oscar Niemeyer
*2003: Rem Koolhaas
*2002: Norman Foster
*2001: Jean Nouvel
*2000: Richard Rogers
*1999: Fumihiko Maki
*1998: Álvaro Siza
*1997: Richard Meier
*1996: Tadao Ando
*1995: Renzo Piano
*1994: Charles Correa
*1993: Kenzo Tange
*1992: Frank Gehry
*1991: Gae Aulenti
*1990: James Stirling
*1989: Ieoh Ming Pei

Music

*2008: Zubin Mehta
*2007: Daniel Barenboim, and West-Eastern Divan Orchestra (Praemium Imperiale Grant for Young Artists)
*2006: Steve Reich
*2005: Martha Argerich
*2004: Krzysztof Penderecki
*2003: Claudio Abbado
*2002: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
*2001: Ornette Coleman
*2000: Hans Werner Henze
*1999: Oscar Peterson
*1998: Sofia Gubaidulina
*1997: Ravi Shankar
*1996: Luciano Berio
*1995: Andrew Lloyd Webber
*1994: Henri Dutilleux
*1993: Mstislav Rostropovich
*1992: Alfred Schnittke
*1991: György Ligeti
*1990: Leonard Bernstein
*1989: Pierre Boulez

Film/Theater

*2008: Sakata Tōjūrō
*2007: Ellen Stewart
*2006: Maya Plisetskaya
*2005: Merce Cunningham
*2004: Abbas Kiarostami
*2003: Ken Loach
*2002: Jean-Luc Godard
*2001: Arthur Miller
*2000: Stephen Sondheim
*1999: Pina Bausch
*1998: Richard Attenborough
*1997: Peter Brook
*1996: Andrzej Wajda
*1995: Nakamura Utaemon
*1994: John Gielgud
*1993: Maurice Béjart
*1992: Akira Kurosawa
*1991: Ingmar Bergman
*1990: Federico Fellini
*1989: Marcel Carne

External links

* [http://www.praemiumimperiale.org www.praemiumimperiale.org]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E3DD173DF935A25755C0A962958260 Royal Pair From Japan On a Visit In New York] 1994 New York Times TimesSelect article mentioning the Praemium Imperiale.