British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor who has been working hard for the cause of Syrian refugees’ rights has won Israel’s prestigious USD 1 million Genesis Prize for his commitment to Jewish values.
The prize committee headed by Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky said, “Kapoor is one of the most influential and innovative artists of his generation.”
Anish Kapoor while accepting the honour said that outsider consciousness resides at the heart of Jewish identity which motivates him. "Jewish identity and history have witnessed recurring conditions of indifference, persecution and Holocaust. Repeatedly, we have had to repossess ourselves and re-identify our communities," said Anish.
"As inheritors and carriers of Jewish values, it is unseemly, therefore, for us to ignore the plight of people who are persecuted, who have lost everything and had to flee as refugees in mortal danger," he added.
Anish who was born in Mumbai to an Iraqi-origin mother and Indian father plans to donate the prize money to help people who have fled war or persecution. He also plans to help alleviate the refugee crisis and try to expand the Jewish community's engagement in a global effort to aid Syrian refugees.
By winning this prestigious Israeli prize, Anish Kapoor has joined the likes of Itzhak Perlman, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actor-director Michael Douglas.