And the Arts Oscar goes to…

The Praemium Imperiale — one of the world’s most prestigious art awards, often cited as the ‘Nobel Prize of the Arts’ and ‘Art Oscar’ — have been announced. In its 36th year, the 2025 recipients across various categories are Peter Doig (UK) for painting, Marina Abramović (Serbia) for sculpture, Eduardo Souto de Moura (Portugal) for architecture, András Schiff (UK) for music, and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Belgium) for theatre and cinema.

“These artists are recognised for their outstanding international achievements in the arts and their contributions to enriching the global community. Each laureate will receive an honorarium of 15 million yen and a testimonial letter. Prince Hitachi, Honorary Patron of the Japan Art Association, will present each laureate with a medal at the Awards Ceremony, which will be held in Tokyo on October 22, 2025,” noted the Praemium Imperiale website.

 

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The website also describes the work of each recipient. It notes that Doig is widely recognised as a leading figure in the “New Figurative Painting” movement, and has redefined the expressive potential of painting over a career spanning more than three decades. While Keersmaeker has been described as “a leading force in the global contemporary dance scene”, Moura, it highlights, is known for his belief that “there is no universal architecture; everything is rooted in its own place.”

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Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 1997 and 2005, Abramović, a pioneering figure in performance art, has been lauded for her engagements with the audience. The note elaborates: “Pushing the limits of both body and mind, she has consistently challenged the boundaries of art in pursuit of its essence.”