23. October 2018
Praemium Imperiale Awards Ceremony 2018

Congratulatory speech by the President of the Goethe-Institut, Prof. Dr. h.c. Klaus-Dieter Lehmann

Your Imperial Highness,

Excellencies and Distinguished Guests,

It is again a great honour for me to take part in this prestigious event here in Tokyo.

The Praemium Imperiale was never more important than it is today. It rewards the independence and strong-minded nature of artists in relation to their life’s work, and also in the endeavour to achieve peaceful co-existence in the world. It has a clear message: art and culture are an essential part of society. Culture can be the basis for the ability to dialogue and thus contribute to worldwide communication processes.

For thirty years the Praemium Imperiale has done us all a great service by recognizing the outstanding achievements of some of the world’s most original artists. By honouring them we can also reflect ourselves and the times in which we live.

And this applies to a very special degree with respect to this year’s five laureats Catherine Deneuve, Christian de Portzamparc, Fujiko Nakaya, Riccardo Muti and Pierre Alechinsky: they are characterized by large autonomy, clarity and conciseness. Their works impress and convince by their sensitivity as well as by their expressive power.

Despite of a growing global interdependence in the fields of economy, politics and culture yet enhanced by the means of technology, the internet and social media, people seem more and more isolated from each other. Between the conflicting poles of coexistence and alienation we find ourselves in the eternal quest of the meaning of life and in search of our place in the human community.

This universal challenge is met by the universal language of the arts and its openness for cultural dialogue. Only artists steadily change the way we look at things. They use their imagination to transform our knowledge and understanding of the world. They have the power of getting into people’s minds and stir things up, bring comfort or change views.

But culture is not a peacemaker as such. Culture is a mutual gain when it opens up, communicates, furthers reciprocal knowledge and is rooted in an appreciation of the diversity and equal value of others – all on the basis of the freedom of art and science.

This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration. The opening of its doors to the outside world marked the culmination, and the beginning, of a long process of Japanese engagement with foreign countries.

Culture and societies live from encounter and mediation. Cultural relations crucially contribute to the image one has of others, even beyond any political irritations. Whereas politics proceed in a highly formalized way and economic forces represent their own interests, culture can set processes in motion where stagnation prevails, offer alternatives where there are blockages – and simply be surprising. Making use of cultural dialogue in times of distortions and conflicts is an opportunity that should not be bypassed.