CULTURE

The 2024 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Finalists Must Be Seen to Be Believed

Mexican artist Andrés Anza took home the top award for his life-size sculpture covered in tiny spikes.

by W Staff

Weon Rhee’s ’Primitive Structures (Botanical)' table and Raven Halfmoon’s ’Weeping Willow Women’ scu...
Weon Rhee’s ’Primitive Structures (Botanical)' table and Raven Halfmoon’s ’Weeping Willow Women’ sculpture as seen in the Loewe Craft Prize exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo. Courtesy of Loewe.

The past two months have been very busy for the already extremely busy Jonathan Anderson. There was the Challengers press tour for which the Loewe creative director served as the film’s costume designer; Salone del Mobile where he unveiled the Loewe Lamps exhibition; and of course, the Met Gala where he served as a co-chair and dressed a slew of guests including Greta Lee, Ayo Edebiri, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist. But of all of his many engagements, the one that is perhaps nearest and dearest to his creative mission is the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize ceremony which was held Tuesday, May 14, at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

Anderson, a longtime champion of handmade crafts, launched the prize in 2016 to celebrate unsung artisans and modern innovation in craftsmanship. Following last year’s presentation at New York’s Noguchi Museum, Loewe returned to Paris for the 2024 edition, where Anderson, along with a 12-member jury, awarded Mexican ceramicist Andrés Anza with the top €50,000 prize for his life-size sculpture titled ‘I only know what I have seen.’ The piece, which consists of thousands upon thousands of tiny ceramic spikes arranged into five puzzle pieces is striking in its detail and almost begs to be touched.

While Anza ultimately beat out the 30 finalists, there were three special mentions given to Japan’s Miki Asai, South Korea’s Heechan Kim, and France’s Emanuel Boos. Their pieces, along with all of the shortlisted works, will be on view at the Palais de Tokyo May 15 through June 9, 2024. Here, a small preview.

Courtesy of Loewe

The 2024 Loewe Craft Prize-winning sculpture by Andrés Anza consists of five puzzle pieces covered in tiny ceramic spikes.

Courtesy of Loewe

Emmanuel Boos’s coffee table is constructed from 98 hollow, moveable, porcelain bricks.

Courtesy of Loewe

Miki Asai utilized paper, wood, and eggshells to create miniature vessels that sit atop three sculptural rings.

Courtesy of Loewe

Chinese artist’s Yuefeng He’s ‘Bamboo Rock’ consists of tile ash, lacquer and linen.

Courtesy of Loewe

Aya Oki’s ‘Bloom IX’ sculpture blends canework and colorful glass to create a bubble-like effect.

For more, visit craftprize.loewe.com.