Kunimasa Aoki, Nifemi Marcus-Bello, and Studio Sumakshi Singh recognized
Loewe has announced Kunimasa Aoki (b. 1963, Japan) as the winner of the 2025 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. Aoki receives a €50,000 award for his sculpture Realm of Living Things 19 (2024), selected from 30 finalists by a jury of 12 international experts in design, architecture, and museum curation. Jury members included Patricia Urquiola, Olivier Gabet, Wang Shu, Magdalene Odundo, and Frida Escobedo.
Aoki’s piece, an anamorphic terracotta work, explores clay’s behavior under physical stress. Formed by stacking and compressing layers of clay before firing, the sculpture incorporates natural cracking, smoke finishes, and pencil markings. The jury commended its raw materiality and use of the traditional coil-building technique, calling attention to the piece’s surface textures, described as “little universes,” and the unpredictable nature of the firing process.
Two special mentions were also awarded. Nifemi Marcus-Bello (b. 1988, Nigeria) was recognized for TM Bench with Bowl (2023), a sculpture made from reclaimed automotive aluminum, addressing themes of consumerism and globalization. The jury cited the piece’s simplicity and its geometric clarity.
Studio Sumakshi Singh (India) received a special mention for Monument (2024), a life-size column composed of copper zari stitched onto water-soluble fabric. Once dissolved, only the thread remains, forming a fragile reconstruction of historical architecture. The jury highlighted the tension between its structural delicacy and conceptual weight, reflecting on cultural memory and decay.
The 2025 Craft Prize exhibition includes all 30 shortlisted works and runs from May 30 to June 29 at Madrid’s Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum. An online showcase and printed catalogue will accompany the physical show.
This year’s 30 finalists were selected in February from more than 4,600 entries representing 133 countries and regions. The artists span 18 countries and work in mediums ranging from ceramics and metal to paper, jewelry, textiles, and lacquer.
Established in 2016, the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize honors innovation and artistic merit in modern craft. The initiative pays tribute to Loewe’s origins as a collective craft workshop in 1846. “As we celebrate the eighth edition of the prize, I’m struck by the incredible breadth of ingenuity, beauty and skill in the works on show,” said Sheila Loewe, President of the Loewe Foundation. “Each year, the magic of the prize for me is seeing craft’s continued capacity to surprise, innovate and evolve.”
