Peter Doig

Born April 17, 1959 / Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Widely recognized as a leading figure in the “New Figurative Painting” movement, Peter Doig has, over a career spanning more than three decades, redefined the expressive potential of painting. Personal memories and imagery sourced from photographs, postcards, and films create vivid, emotionally resonant paintings of landscapes and figures, characterized by rich colors and a distinctive brushwork. His work often merges the real and surreal in hauntingly poetic ways, revisiting images that build a sense of a hidden narrative where mystery and dreamlike elements coexist. He spent his early childhood on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, and his youth in snowy Canada—two vastly different environments that left a lasting impression on his visual sensibility. “Those experiences have had a huge impact on my painting,” he says. Each of his works takes a long time to come into being, often developing over years. “I feel my paintings are deeply connected to my life. They’re like a journey—an expression of the life I’ve lived,” he reflects. Today, dividing his time between London and Trinidad, Doig continues to be celebrated as one of the world’s most important living painters, with works held in major public and private collections worldwide.

Marina Abramović

Born November 30, 1946 / Belgrade, Serbia (former Yugoslavia)
A pioneering figure in performance art, Marina Abramović has used her own body as a means of expression, often involving the audience as part of the artwork itself. Pushing the limits of both body and mind, she has consistently challenged the boundaries of art in pursuit of its essence. Born in the former Yugoslavia she gained international attention with Rhythm 0 (1974), a performance in which she surrendered her body to the audience—an act so extreme that at one point a loaded gun was held to her head. Despite repeatedly facing life-threatening situations, her fearless exploration of self-expression has captivated audiences around the world. In 2010, at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, she presented The Artist Is Present, a silent performance in which she sat face-to-face with visitors for over 700 hours. The piece broke MoMA’s attendance records. Passionate about education, in 2012 founded the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI), devoted to long-duration performance and interdisciplinary collaboration. Although based in New York, she continues to travel to make work that is emotional and passionate, that challenges not only herself but also her collaborators – the audience.

Eduardo
Souto de Moura

Born July 25, 1952 / Porto, Portugal
Eduardo Souto de Moura is a leading figure in Portuguese architecture. A protégé of Álvaro Siza (1998 Praemium Imperiale laureate), he established his own practice in 1980. He is known for his belief that “there is no universal architecture; everything is rooted in its own place,” and he consistently creates work that resonates with its time and context. He carefully selects materials with attention to local traditions and culture. His notable projects include the Pousada Mosteiro de Amares (1997), a state-run hotel converted from a former monastery; the Estádio Municipal de Braga (2003), a municipal stadium; and the Paula Rego Museum (2009). He received the Pritzker Prize in 2011 and the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2018. In 2024, he was awarded the Order of Arts and Letters by France. He also teaches at architecture schools around the world, sharing his knowledge with the next generation. He believes that the most pressing need for architecture today is to solve current problems, highlighting the importance of ecological awareness and the intelligence and culture necessary to address it.

András Schiff

Born December 21, 1953 / Budapest, Hungary
András Schiff is widely regarded as one of the foremost pianists of our time and is celebrated for his interpretations of composers from Bach to Bartók. He began playing the piano at the age of five and studied at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, later continuing his training in London under the renowned harpsichordist George Malcolm. Recognizing that “a pianist’s life is often a solitary one,” Schiff founded his own chamber orchestra, Cappella Andrea Barca, in 1999. He also conducts, believing that “conducting broadens one’s perspective,” and is active as a musician well beyond the traditional role of a pianist. Passionate about sharing music and mentoring the next generation, Schiff often speaks to his audience during concerts, viewing “being a musician not as a profession but a privilege.” In 2014, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music. His writings, including Music Comes from Silence, offer valuable insights into his musical philosophy. He is married to the Japanese violinist Yūko Shiokawa.

Anne Teresa
De Keersmaeker

Born June 11, 1960 / Mechelen, Belgium
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker is a Belgian choreographer and dancer. Since founding her dance company Rosas in 1983, she has been a leading force in the global contemporary dance scene. She studied dance at Mudra, the performing arts school founded by Maurice Béjart (1993 Praemium Imperiale laureate), and at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. After returning to Belgium, she gained wide recognition with Fase (1982), set to the music of Steve Reich (2006 Praemium Imperiale laureate). She is known for her exploration of the structural relationship between music and movement, engaging in dialogue with a wide range of musical styles of several periods, from minimal and classical to blues. Her choreography often begins with everyday movements like walking, which she abstracts to create a fusion of physicality and intellect. Her major works include Rain (2001) and EXIT ABOVE (2023). In 2025, De Keersmaeker collaborated with dancer and emerging choreographer Solal Mariotte on BREL, a duet inspired by the music and persona of Jacques Brel. She has a long-standing connection with Japan, having directed Toshio Hosokawa’s opera Hanjo in 2004. In addition to her artistic work, she is committed to education, having founded P.A.R.T.S. (Performing Arts Research and Training Studios), a performing arts school in Brussels to support the next generation of artists. Over the past 10 years, her work has also engaged with the visual arts in museum contexts such as the Louvre, Tate Modern and MoMA.