Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires honoured with this year's 'Praemium Imperiale

The Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires will be honoured with this year's 'Praemium Imperiale,' the world's most prestigious art prize. This announcement was made by Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, president of the Goethe-Institut and representative of the Japan Art Association, in Berlin on Tuesday. The award is presented in the categories of painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and theatre/film.

Born in Lisbon in 1944, Pires is celebrated as a poet of the piano, as noted in the citation. "She interprets compositions by Schubert, Chopin, Mozart, and many others with impressive delicacy and dynamism. Her concerts are marked by profound depth and expression. She performs worldwide as both a soloist and chamber musician and is actively involved in social projects promoting community music-making."

Other recipients of the Praemium Imperiale this year include French conceptual artist Sophie Calle (painting), Colombian sculptor and installation artist Doris Salcedo (sculpture), Japanese architect Shigeru Ban (architecture), and Taiwanese film director Ang Lee (theatre/film). Each award is endowed with 15 million yen and will be presented by the Japanese imperial family in Tokyo this October.

“With this year’s selection of artistic figures, the Praemium Imperiale underscores the transformative and boundary-pushing power of art in human coexistence, connecting art and life directly, offering new perspectives, challenging norms, and breaking taboos,” said Lehmann in Berlin.

Established in 1988, the Praemium Imperiale has honored 175 artists from more than 31 nations since its inception in 1989.