To honour Loewe's origins as a collective craft workshop established in 1846, the Loewe Foundation held its inaugural Craft Prize competition in 2016 to showcase and celebrate modern craft excellence and has since become an annual tradition.
The House seeks to recognise the significance of craftsmanship in contemporary culture by appreciating talent, vision, and innovation. "Craft is always going to be modern. It is about creating objects that have a formula of their own and speak their own language, creating a dialogue that didn't exist before. It is about newness as much as it is about tradition," says Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson.
Just like the previous years, Loewe Foundation has opened up submissions for the next instalment of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize—submissions will be accepted until 30 October 2024. Working in a craft-based profession and above 18? Congrats! You're eligible to apply, and the eventual winner will be awarded with EUR50,000, while two special mentions will each receive EUR5,000.
The award ceremony will then be held next spring at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid and a distinguished panel of artists, essayists, and curators will judge the submissions, selecting a shortlist of 30 entries. Their decisions will be based on criteria such as originality, clear artistic vision, exceptional craftsmanship, material excellence, innovative value, and distinct authorial mark.
For the most recent edition of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize saw Andrés Anza's "I only know what I have seen" claim the top spot. The sculpture was crafted from glazed refractory clay adorned with countless small, pointed protrusions that drew inspiration from organic forms. Its quasi-human presence is a blend of figurative and abstract elements, appearing to twist and fold inward upon itself.
In addition to the prize winner, the jury also recognised three special mentions: "Still Life" by Miki Asai, was praised for its intricate and monumental essence by using lacquer and eggshell fragments;
"#16" by Heechan Kim who crafted a sculptural vase using traditional boat-making techniques;
and lastly, "Coffee Table 'Comme un lego'" by Emmanuel Boos that's made from porcelain bricks that can be individually removed from the structure.
