Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović and Scottish painter Peter Doig have been named recipients of the 2025 Praemium Imperiale Awards, announced by the Japan Art Association.
Abramović, 79, received the award for sculpture in recognition of her groundbreaking performance work exploring the relationship between artist and audience. Doig was honored in the painting category for his dreamlike, evocative landscapes that have established him as a leading figure in contemporary figurative painting.
The annual awards, presented under the patronage of Prince Hitachi, younger brother of Japan’s Emperor Emeritus, carry a prize of 15 million yen (approximately £77,000 or $101,000) for each recipient. The awards recognize artistic achievement in fields not covered by the Nobel Prizes.
Three other international artists also received honors: Belgian choreographer and filmmaker Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for theater and film, Hungarian-born pianist András Schiff for music, and Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura for architecture. England’s National Youth Theatre received a separate 5 million yen grant for young artists.
Lord Patten of Barnes, the award’s UK international advisor, noted that all five laureates have close ties to the United Kingdom and share “a love of making—whereby concept and craft come together to create artistry of the highest order.”
Abramović, known for boundary-pushing performances including “The Artist Is Present” at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 2010, recently became the first woman to occupy the entire Royal Academy of Arts gallery space in the institution’s 250-year history. She is scheduled to premiere “Balkan Erotic Epic,” a large-scale performance featuring over 70 performers, in Manchester this October.
Doig, who spent his childhood in Trinidad and Canada before studying in London, is recognized for his distinctive painterly style that combines vivid colors with emotionally resonant imagery. His upcoming exhibition “House of Music” opens at London’s Serpentine Gallery in October, featuring new paintings alongside a sound installation.
The Praemium Imperiale Awards have been presented annually since 1989. Previous British recipients include David Hockney, Anish Kapoor, Antony Gormley, and Bridget Riley.
Cover Image: From left: Marina Abramović and Peter Doig. Courtesy: Japan Art Association.
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