Following the rotation of the six sections of the Akademie der Künste, the 15,000 euro Grand Art Prize Berlin will be awarded this year in the category of architecture and will go to the French garden and landscape architect Gilles Clément. The prize will be awarded on Tuesday, 18 March 2025 at the Akademie der Künste, Pariser Platz.
Image above: courtesy of Akademie der Künste.
According to the jury, which includes Kees Christiaanse, Dorte Mandrup and Jörn Walter, Gilles Clément is considered one of the most influential contemporary landscape thinkers and architects, who likes to describe himself as a gardener. Early on, he rejected the idea of wanting to dominate or control nature; instead, he sees his role as designing gardens in partnership with natural processes.
What characterises Clément is his distinctive approach to working at the interface of philosophy, ecology, art, horticulture and landscape architecture, as well as his deep admiration and humility towards the power of nature. ‘In a world struggling with climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, Clément’s work is a beacon of hope and a call to action,’ said the jury.
In addition to the Grand Berlin Art Prize, the six Berlin Art Prizes of 5,000 euros each will be awarded on 18 March. The prizes will be awarded to the Jerusalem-born artist Assaf Gruber (visual arts), the city architect of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv Anton Kolomeytsev (architecture), the Canadian composer Cassandra Miller (music), the Austrian author and artist Brigitta Falkner (literature), Göksu Kunak, Ankara-born artist, researcher and author (performing arts) and the Italian film director Pietro Marcello (film and media art).
About Gilles Clément
Gilles Clément, born in Argenton-sur-Creuse in 1943, has been designing and creating parks, gardens, public and private spaces since 1972. He is the author of numerous publications. He teaches, runs workshops and gives seminars worldwide. His best-known parks include the Henri Matisse Park, Lille; the former submarine base, Saint Nazaire; the Quai Branly Museum Garden and the Garden de l’ Arche La Défense, both in Paris.
The Berlin Art Prize – Jubilee Foundation 1848/1948 was established by the Berlin Senate in 1948 in memory of the March Revolution of 1848. Since 1971, it has been awarded by the Akademie der Künste on behalf of the state.
The aim of honouring artists is to highlight the special importance of the arts for a free society.
In recent years, the Grand Art Prize has been awarded to Simone Fattal (2024), Joachim Trier (2023), Richard Peduzzi (2022), Annett Gröschner (2021) and Younghi Pagh-Paan (2020).
WHEN?
Tuesday, 18. March 2025, at 7 pm.
WHERE?
Akademie der Künste
Pariser Platz 4
10117 Berlin
