Work From the 30 Finalists Will be Shown in Paris in June
The Loewe Foundation has unveiled the 30 artisans shortlisted for the prestigious 2024 edition of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. Representing 16 countries and regions, these finalists were selected from a pool of over 3,900 submissions by artisans from 124 different nations.
The finalists’ works, spanning a diverse array of mediums including ceramics, woodwork, textiles, furniture, and jewelry, will be showcased at the renowned Palais de Tokyo in Paris from May 15th to June 9th, 2024. This exhibition promises to push the boundaries of traditional craft, with many pieces incorporating repurposed or recycled materials, such as rubber tires and compressed wood, to elevate the everyday into the realm of art.
A testament to the enduring significance of craftsmanship, the annual Craft Prize, initiated by the Loewe Foundation in 2016, seeks to honor excellence and innovation in modern craftsmanship. Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe, envisioned the prize as a tribute to the brand’s heritage as a collective craft workshop dating back to 1846, emphasizing the enduring relevance of craft in contemporary culture.
Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, Executive Secretary of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Expert Panel, celebrated how the house continues “to push the boundaries of craft and expand its horizons, with a showcase that includes works created from recycled materials, as various as glass, copper, wire and silicone, by artists around the globe. Our inspiration stems from a celebration of everyday monumentality, that paradoxically challenges the distinction between art and craft. Craft, to us, embodies creativity, meaning, culture, and technique and we believe that traditions are best preserved when they are questioned and reimagined.”
The winner of the 2024 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, who will receive a prestigious award of €50,000, will be announced on May 14th, 2024, coinciding with the opening of the exhibition at Palais de Tokyo. A distinguished jury comprising 12 leading figures from the worlds of design, architecture, journalism, criticism, and museum curation will have the challenging task of selecting the most outstanding work from among the finalists.
The exhibition at Palais de Tokyo marks another milestone in the journey of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, following previous showcases in Madrid, London, Tokyo, Seoul, and New York.
The finalists for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2024, listed alphabetically along with their respective countries or regions, are Andrés Anza (Mexico), Miki Asai (Japan), Patrick Bongoy (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Emmanuel Boos (France), Chun Tai Chen (Taiwan Region), Eunmi Chun (Republic of Korea), Ange Dakouo (Mali), Ken Eastman (United Kingdom), Jeremy Frey (United States), Karl Fritsch (New Zealand), Kevin Grey (United Kingdom), Raven Halfmoon (United States), Yuefeng He (Mainland China), Ferne Jacobs (United States), Racso Jugarap (Philippines), Hiroshi Kaneyasu (Japan), Heechan Kim (Republic of Korea), Kira Kim (Republic of Korea), Alison Croney Moses (United States), Gaku Nakane (Japan), Aya Oki (United States), Ozioma Onuzulike (Nigeria), Weon Rhee (Jongwon Lee) (Republic of Korea), Ikuya Sagara (Japan), Luis Santos Montes (Spain), Saar Scheerlings (Netherlands), Polly Adams Sutton (United States), Kazuhiro Toyama (Japan), Norman Weber (Germany), and Debaroun (Dahyeon Yoo) (Republic of Korea).
