Loewe Foundation Craft Prize for 2026 Awarded to Ceramicist Jongjin Park
A jury of top art world names honored the artist for Strata of Illusion, an armchair-esque sculpture in porcelain, paper, stain and glaze
On Tuesday night, the Loewe Foundation recognized South Korean ceramic sculptor Jongjin Park with the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, which is given annually to an artisan who the jury feels best exemplifies newness, excellence and artistic merit in modern craft.
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Loewe creative directors, summed up the significance of the giving the award in 2026: “It has been a privilege to join the jury of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. Craft has been at the heart of Loewe since the House was founded 180 years ago. Across each of the shortlisted works, we encountered an extraordinary sense of commitment, creativity, and innovation. Together, they stand as a powerful testament to the enduring possibilities of making.”
Strata of Illusion, Jongjin Park’s winning entry, is an intriguing sculpture resembling a patchwork library armchair made of caving in on itself, with the opening of a tunnel to nowhere in place of a comforting seat cushion. Park achieved Strata’s visual effects by coating thousands of sheets of layered paper in colored porcelain slip before putting the work into the kiln, where the paper burned away. It’s as it an accumulation of recorded information were collapsing, making for profound food for thought.
Members of the jury included architect Frida Escobedo, Musée du Louvre Director of the Department of Decorative Arts Olivier Gabet, Metropolitan Museum of Art Modern Architecture Curator Abraham Thomas and 2025 Galerie Creative Mind Patricia Urquiola, as well as McCollough and Hernandez.
Park was selected from a field of 30 finalists from 19 countries. There were two special mentions this year. Álvaro Catalán de Ocón’s Frafra Tapestry was created in collaboration with a team of master baba tree weavers and uses an honored indigenous craft to express vibrant modern forms. Italian jewelry artist Graziano Visintin was recognized for Collier, two necklaces of tiny cubes and near-cubic geometric shapes in gold and niello.
Sheila Loewe, President of the Loewe Foundation, chimed in with McCullough and Hernandez: “In the ninth edition of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, I am more proud than ever. This year’s shortlist has been one of the hardest to judge and provided the jury with the opportunity to discuss the far reaches of what craft can be – and will be in the future. I feel continually honoured to be at the heart of such discovery, excitement and skill in the world of craft and witness close hand the creative endeavour of such extraordinary artists.”
Artwork by the finalists will be on display at the National Gallery Singapore from
13 May–14 June 2026.