Exhibition view of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize at the Palais de Tokyo.
Photo: Courtesy Loewe
The 2024 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Finalists Go on View at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris
First place went to Andrés Anza from Mexico, who won for his life-sized ceramic totemic embellished with thousands of spikes
With a robust applicant pool of 3,900 artisans representing 124 countries and regions, the seventh edition of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize proved to be overwhelmed with talent and creativity. Thirty finalists were ultimately selected, and their works went on view on May 14 in Paris, at the Palais de Tokyo, one of Europe’s major centers for contemporary art.
After careful deliberation by the jury of a dozen distinguished leaders in their fields, the winners were announced on Tuesday evening. The selections range from lacquered eggshell rings with miniature still lifes and a porcelain Lego table held together like a magic trick, to an organic wooden form stitched together with copper wire to a ceramic totem entitled, I only know what I have seen.
The final works selected are nothing short of breathtaking and unexpected in their beauty, technique and hidden poetry. Each of the 30 pieces and creators deserves mention and further viewing. Here, Galerie takes a look at the winner as well as the three special mentions, a first for the Loewe Prize.
Exhibition view of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize at the Palais de Tokyo. Photo: Courtesy Loewe
Andrés Anza from Mexico's award-winning totemic ceramic. Photo: Courtesy Loewe
Andrés Anza from Mexico was awarded the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2024. His life-sized totemic ceramic is embellished with thousands of tiny, hand-molded spikes that appear to twist and turn and fold in on itself. Anza, speaking exclusively to Galerie humbly shared, “I think we have to make relationships and I use my craft to help people to do this. That’s why the name is I only know what I have seen.” He continued, “The hands are the best tools we have.”
Miki Asai's miniature vases. Photo: Courtesy Loewe
Heecham Kim's sculptural vessel created from ash wood and copper wire. Photo: Courtesy Loewe
Special mentions went to Miki Asai from Japan and her sublimely beautiful miniature vases arranged on top of geometric lacquer and eggshell rings; France’s Emmanuel Boos and his intriguing porcelain table comprised of 98 hollow bricks held together without the use of glue; and Heechan Kim from the Republic of Korea and his sculptural vessel created from ash wood and copper wire.
The Loewe Foundation launched this annual, international prize in 2016 with the mission to showcase craft, creativity, and talent wherever it may be and whatever form it might take. The award was conceived by Loewe Creative Director Jonathan Anderson, who himself is a collector and says his love of craft all started when he was 21 and acquired his first piece of ceramic by Lucie Ries. He feels strongly about supporting making and makers and always putting artisans forward.
Exhibition view of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize at the Palais de Tokyo. Photo: Courtesy Loewe
Ozioma Onuzulike's hanging ceramic tapestry composed of clay, ash glaze, recycled glass, engobe and copper wire. Photo: Courtesy Loewe
As a final note, this author would like to mention the work of finalist Ozioma Onuzulike from Nigeria and his hanging ceramic tapestry composed of clay, ash glaze, recycled glass, engobe, and copper wire. His work is nothing short of spectacular, but in a very quiet way, almost a whisper. In the words of Sheila Loewe, president of the foundation, “It was almost like magic, this artist also writes poetry and we also have the most important Spanish language poetry prize. I need to tell him this.”
The 30 works will be on exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris through June 9.
Cover: Exhibition view of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize at the Palais de Tokyo.
Photo: Courtesy Loewe
