Unprecedented Global Pandemic causes first-ever postponement of the Awards

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Due to concerns and uncertainties caused by the global Coronavirus pandemic, the Japan Art Association has made the difficult decision to postpone the 32nd Praemium Imperiale annual Awards Announcement of new laureates for an entire year until September 2021.

The Awards Ceremony will take place October 2021 in Tokyo in the presence of His Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi, honorary patron of the Japan Art Association. This is the first time a postponement has occurred in the history of these awards. Each year, the Japan Art Association recognizes artists from around the world for the outstanding international impact they had on the arts, and for their role in enriching the global community and in contributing to the peace and prosperity of mankind.

The Japan Art Association said: “The arts are critical, especially in times of uncertainty, for healing and uniting all people, transcending national boundaries, race, religion, gender and language. We look forward to the 2021 Praemium Imperiale events when we can reunite to celebrate the central role of the arts in bringing light to our shared humanity and deeper meaning to our lives.”

The Praemium Imperiale is the world's most prestigious international art prize in the fields of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music, and Theatre/Film. It has become a powerful voice for the importance of culture in today’s world. The roster of laureates includes 160 artists, including Cindy Sherman, Shirin Neshat, David Hockney, Norman Foster, Frank Gehry, Martin Scorsese, Akira Kurosawa, Philip Glass, Gidon Kremer, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mitsuko Uchida, and Judi Dench.

The 2019 Praemium Imperiale Laureates were Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Architecture (U.S.A.); William Kentridge, Painting (South Africa); Mona Hatoum, Sculpture (U.K.); Anne-Sophie Mutter, Music (Germany); and Bando Tamasaburo, Theatre/Film (Japan). A complete list of winners can be found here.

ABOUT THE PRAEMIUM IMPERIALE AWARDS

The Praemium Imperiale was created in 1988 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Japan Art Association. The Association selects and to honor the late Prince Takamatsu, who was the Association’s honorary patron for almost six decades. The Association selects the winners based on the recommendations of individual International Advisors in England, France, Italy, Germany, Japan and the United States. Each advisor is guided by the recommendations of a nominating committee comprising cultural leaders from his home country. The International Advisors are leading figures with a deep interest or involvement in the arts.

The Japan Art Association was originally created in 1879, on the advice of the Meiji Emperor, to encourage Japanese artists and to forge relations with other countries through arts. The organization and its Ueno Royal Museum have played an active role in Japan’s cultural life, presenting exhibitions of traditional arts and art from abroad.

Contacts

Media Contact:
Lisa Linden

The LAKPR Group

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(917) 589-5443