Winners Announced for the 4th AD Works Group 'Nihonga' Award at Tokyo University of the Arts

The winners for the 4th Tokyo University of the Arts "AD Works Group 'Nihonga' Award," co-hosted by the Faculty of Fine Arts at the National University Corporation Tokyo University of the Arts (Taito-ku, Tokyo; President: Katsuhiko Hibino) and AD Works Group (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Hideo Tanaka) and established in December 2022, have been decided. An awards ceremony was recently held following a review by the Tokyo University of the Arts Faculty of Fine Arts selection committee and final approval by its steering committee.

The recipients of the 4th award are Mr. Daisuke Mukai and Mr. Kota Iwatani. As a result of the judging, it was decided to award the Grand Prize to both individuals in a tie.

Winners' Comments

Grand Prize Winner: Daisuke Mukai "Thank you very much for this incredibly honorable award. I am very happy to receive it at this time, about three years after my graduation. I have focused not only on my own creative activities but also on spreading the appeal of Japanese painting. In the future, I want to continue my studies and creative work while exploring the possibilities of painting, not limited to just Nihonga."

Kota Iwatani "Thank you very much for this prestigious award. I believe that Japanese painting has developed to this point through the techniques and expressions of many predecessors, while containing the two incompatible elements of tradition and innovation. As a Japanese painter myself, I hope to contribute to its future development."