Congratulations to the Fukuoka Prize for its long history of 30 years. I have been hugely impressed by the way you have discovered and honoured scholars and artists from Asia and on Asia and given them a distinguished place in the history of Asian humanities and culture. It is a unique and very special award.

The city of Fukuoka itself has been a pioneer in looking at the Asian continent as a whole but also honouring its diverse cultures.

One of the most important institutions is the Fukuoka City Public Library Film Archive Collection where the archives is dedicated to Asian cinema.

I have a special connection to the city as I was one of the two artists invited to the first six month residency at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in 1999. This experience is deeply embedded in my psyche and resonates in my work till today.

I am honoured to receive the Fukuoka Prize in 2013, in the long legacy of the distinguished laureates who are known for their deep research on the human condition and their creative thought processes.

Thank you