The German sculptor Wolfgang Laib has been announced as one of the five 2015 Praemium Imperiale Laureates, picking up the award in the category of sculpture.

The Praemium Imperiale, a prestigious Japanese award, recognizes individuals for their exceptional contributions to the international arts and for enriching the global community.

The other four Laureates are Tadanori Yokoo, for painting; Dominique Perrault, for architecture; Mitsuko Uchida, for music; and Sylvie Guillem, for theater/film.

The Japanese painter Tadanori Yokoo was the winner in the painting category.
Photo: Yoshiaki Miura via Japan Times

Each laureate receives a cash prize worth ¥15 million ($124,143) and a testimonial letter. The laureates will be given a medal by the Honorary Patron of the Japan Art Association, Prince Hitachi, during a special ceremony that will be held in Tokyo on October 21.

“Buchmann Galerie would like to congratulate Wolfgang Laib and is proud to represent him since the 1980s,” Laib’s Berlin gallery announced in a congratulatory statement.

The prestigious cultural prize is awarded by the Japanese imperial family.
Photo: caiguoqiang.wordpress.com

Awarded by the Japanese imperial family since 1989, the Praemium Imperiale is an international art prize which is considered to be one of the most prestigious in the world. The award was established to honor excellence in areas not covered by the Nobel Prize.

The associated Grant for Young Artists was awarded to the Yangon Film School. The school, whose headquarters are based in Berlin, receives ¥5 million ($41,413) to contribute towards the education of aspiring young filmmakers.

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