Imperial Prize 2017: here are the names of the winners of the Nobel Prize in Art

Iran’s Shirin Neshat (Qazvin, 1957) for painting, Ghana’s El Anatsui (Anyako, 1944) for sculpture, Spain’s Rafael Moneo (Tudela, 1937) for architecture, Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour (Dakar, 1959) for music, and Latvian naturalized U.S. artist Michail Baryšnikov (Riga, 1948) for film/theater. They are the winners of the 2017 edition of the Imperial Prize, considered by many to be the world’s highest honor in the arts-a sort of “Nobel Prize of Art.”

The Imperial Prize, also known as the Praemium Imperiale and, in full, the World Prize for Culture in memory of His Imperial Majesty Prince Takamatsu, has been awarded since 1989 to personalities in the international arena who distinguish themselves in the arts. The Prize was established to commemorate Prince Takamatsu, the third son of Emperor Taisho and a tireless supporter of the arts and culture. The jury that selected the laureates consisted of Yasuhiro Nakasone, premier of Japan between 1982 and 1987; William H. Luers, former president of the Metropolitan Museum in New York; former Italian Prime Minister Lamberto Dini; Chris Patten, chancellor (i.e., rector) of Oxford University; Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, president of the Goethe-Institut; and Jean-Pierre Raffarin, French prime minister between 2002 and 2005. The six advisors enlisted the help of experts from each of the award fields (the Italian committee includes Antonio Paolucci, Germano Celant, Irene Bignardi, among others). The winners will collect the prize in October in Tokyo on October 18. One curiosity that emerged from the press conference: the theater/cinema award goes to Baryšnikov but was originally intended for Meryl Streep. In fact, the actress will not be able to attend Tokyo to collect the award, a prerequisite for receiving it.

In addition, the winner of the 2017 edition of the Praemium Imperiale Scholarship for Young Artists was also announced, which will go to the Lebanon-based Zoukak Theatre Company and Cultural Association: they will be awarded a 5 million yen (about 39,000 euros) grant. The grant is being presented today in New York to Maya Zbib, president and founder of the Zoukak Company.

In the collage from left, clockwise: Shirin Neshat(credit), El Anatsui (courtesy the artist), Rafael Moneo(credit), Michail Baryšnikov(credit), Youssou N’Dour(credit).

Imperial Prize 2017: here are the names of the winners of the Nobel Prize in Art

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