recipients of the 21st praemium imperiale, awarded annually by the japan art association
(under the presidency of prince hitachi) to honor worldwide achievement in the arts,
were announced on 24 september. five prizes are awarded to one candidate in each of
the five fields of painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and theatre/film.
this year photographer sugimoto hiroshi was selected for the painting category, the sculpture
award went to richard long and architecture to zaha hadid. pianist alfred brendel
and playwright tom stoppard. the awards ceremony will take place on 22 october
at the meiji kinenkan in tokyo.


zaha hadid and tom stoppard


alfred brendel, hiroshi sugimoto and richard long


previous architecture awards went to:

2008 - peter zumthor
2007 - herzog & de meuron
2006 - frei otto
2005 - taniguchi yosiho
2004 - oscar niemeyer
2003 - rem koolhaas
2002 - norman foster
2001 - jean nouvel
2000 - richard rogers
1999 - fumihiko maki
1998 - alvaro siza
1997 - richard meier
1996 - tadao ando
1995 - renzo piano
1994 - cherles correa
1993 - kenzo tange
1992 - frank gehry
1991 - gae aulenti
1990 - james stirling
1989 - ieoh ming pei