Marina Abramović and Peter Doig Take Praemium Imperiale Award for 2025
The Serbian performance artist and Scottish painter were among five recipients of the £77,000 award backed by Japan’s royal family recognising artists with international impact. Save to My Ocula
Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović and Scottish painter Peter Doig are two of the latest Praemium Imperiale laureates, the annual award backed by Japan’s royal family which awards creators in the fields of painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theatre, and film.
On Tuesday, the Japan Art Association and their U.K. advisor Lord Patten of Barnes announced the five Praemium Imperiale laureates for 2025, each of whom will receive 15 million Yen (£77,000) in recognition of their contributions to the arts.
Patten said all five laureates have ‘close ties’ to the U.K. ‘They all share a love of “making”—whereby concept and craft come together to create artistry of the highest order.’
Abramović, 79, was honoured for her boundary-pushing work exploring the relationship between artist and audience. Her recent solo exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts marked the first time a woman occupied the entire gallery in the institution’s 250-year history.
In Manchester this October Abramović will premiere Balkan Erotic Epic, a large-scale performance blending ritual and tradition and featuring over 70 performers.
Meanwhile former Turner Prize nominee Doig was recognised for his dreamlike, evocative works. His upcoming exhibition, House of Music, opens at London’s Serpentine in October, featuring new paintings alongside a sound installation.
Other laureates include choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Belgium), pianist Sir András Schiff (Hungary/U.K.), and architect Eduardo Souto de Moura (Portugal).
The Praemium Imperiale awards have been given by the Japan Art Association under the patronage of Prince Hitachi, younger brother of the emperor emeritus of Japan, since 1989.
Previous British recipients include David Hockney, Mona Hatoum, Anish Kapoor, Antony Gormley, Richard Long, and Bridget Riley. —[O]
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