Craft revival: loewe prize ignites southeast asian creativity
A surge of color and a renewed appreciation for tactile artistry are dominating the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize exhibition, now gracing the National Gallery Singapore. This year’s competition, showcasing 30 finalists from 19 countries – from Haiti to Australia – marks a significant expansion for the prize, signaling a vital shift in the global craft landscape.
Emerging voices and design inspiration
Following the departure of Jonathan Anderson, co-creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez brought a fresh perspective to the jury, declaring the submissions “an explosion of energy and excitement.” Hernandez emphasized the profound inspiration drawn from the meticulous dedication behind each piece, stating, “To see someone spend a year on one object and make it so meticulously…that’s truly inspiring.”
Sheila Loewe, president of the Loewe Foundation, echoed this sentiment, noting the duo's enthusiasm has injected a vibrant new spirit into the event. “There’s more color, which is something you can see in the exhibition,” she observed. “Jack and Lazaro are really in love with craft, and we couldn’t be happier to have them.”
A ceramic masterpiece takes the prize
This year’s grand prize went to Jongjin Park for ‘Strata of Illusion,’ a breathtaking chair-like sculpture constructed from countless layers of paper coated in porcelain. The unintentional collapse of the structure within the kiln, as explained by Park, resulted in a captivating millefeuille effect—a testament to the unpredictable beauty of the creative process. Abraham Thomas, curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, praised the work’s “hard-soft duality,” highlighting its skillful balance between fragility and structural integrity.
Korean influence and expanding boundaries
The exhibition also highlights a strong presence of Korean artists, with six finalists contributing to the shortlist. Loewe emphasized Korea’s growing importance in contemporary craft, noting that the conversation surrounding the discipline is now less reliant on explanation. “In Korea, it’s not the case, we don’t have to teach them anything!” she declared, a testament to the nation’s established expertise.
Beyond the top prize, special mentions were awarded to Italian jewelry designer Graziano Visintin for his delicate gold cubes and to the Baba Tree Master Weavers of Ghana, whose tapestry serves as “a living anthropological document” of their Frafra heritage. Other compelling works included a crimson lacquer sculpture by Chinese artist Nan Wei and a striking conical structure by Japanese artist Nobuyuki Tanaka, utilizing the ancient technique of kanshitsu. Australian glassblower Liam Fleming's anamorphic sculpture and Russian-born Danish artist Maria Koshenkova’s layered glass pieces showcasing a visceral, almost unsettling, aesthetic also captivated the jury. The exhibition effectively showcases a remarkable range of materials and techniques, blurring the lines between traditional craft and contemporary art.
The Loewe Craft Prize continues to champion emerging talent and celebrate the enduring power of human skill, demonstrating a growing recognition of craft's relevance in an increasingly digital world. As Deyan Sudjic, director emeritus of the Design Museum, aptly noted, “These are all people interested in a physical relationship with the world who are using objects and touch and skill to connect us and tell stories with material.”