Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2023: A Showcase of Diverse Artistic Expressions
The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, held in the depths of the Palais de Tokyo’s cavernous industrial space, showcased the works of 30 talented artisans representing diverse backgrounds and artistic practices. The prize, which carries a €50,000 award, was announced by Aubrey Plaza, a renowned actress and friend of Jonathan Anderson, the founder and creative director of Loewe.
The winning piece, “I Only Know What I Have Seen” by Mexican ceramicist Andrés Anza, emerged as the standout creation from this year’s exhibition. The jury, composed of 12 esteemed individuals, praised the ceramic sculpture for its arresting presence and captivating blend of ancient and contemporary aesthetics. Plaza, known for her signature deadpan humor, added her own observations to the jury’s statement: “I think there’s something quite funny about it also. I think there’s someone hiding inside and looking at me.”
This year’s Craft Prize was marked by a harmonious fusion of disparate elements, a trend that was evident throughout the exhibition. Combinations of traditional crafts and unexpected materials sparked a particular intrigue among the participating makers. “This time, there was a lot of mixing of media—taking two different types of traditional crafts and blending the two, which I think is something we haven’t seen a lot of before,” noted Anderson.
Special mentions were awarded to three exceptional artists. Japanese maker Miki Asai was recognized for her exquisite miniature vases, meticulously crafted from splinters of eggshell and seashell. French designer Emmanuel Boos charmed the audience with his delightful stackable brick coffee table, reminiscent of Lego blocks. Korean artist Heechan Kim’s mind-bending cloud of ash wood, stitched together with copper wire, presented a captivating interplay of soft and sharp elements.
Reflecting on the evolution of the Craft Prize, Anderson highlighted the rapid growth of interest in craft over the past decade, leading to greater recognition and appreciation for these artistic practices. He shared a personal anecdote from his early days in London, recounting how acquiring a Lucie Rie salad bowl at auction ignited his passion for collecting art and objects. “Now, it would be impossible to pick up a piece of hers that easily,” he added, emphasizing the heightened appreciation for such works.
The exhibition design played a crucial role in enhancing the dialogue between the artworks. Against shimmering silver panels, the placement of objects by the Loewe Foundation team invited comparisons and connections across different disciplines. Indigenous American basket weaver Jeremy Frey’s elegant lidded basket, showcasing the refinement of ancestral Wabanaki nation weaving techniques, found harmony with Polly Adams Sutton’s undulating basket made from hand-gathered cedar wood, conveying a sense of whimsy and intrigue.
Patrick Bongoy, an artist from Cape Town, presented a captivating piece that initially resembled a woven leather tapestry. Upon closer inspection, the work revealed itself to be crafted from recycled rubber, silicone, and wire—a surprising repurposing of materials that evoked a sense of eerie elegance. Malian artist Ange Dakouo’s deeply personal “Harmony of Grisgris” used folded briquettes of newspaper, strung together with thread and adorned with cowrie shells. The piece paid homage to West African gris-gris, or traditional amulets, and evoked a sense of cultural heritage and spirituality.
For Jonathan Anderson, the future of craft lies in the potential of technology. He observed, “When you look at TikTok or Instagram, people are fascinated by watching people make things. I think people find it therapeutic. I never thought that technology would have helped this, but I think there is an innate curiosity within society at the moment for us to reconnect with the making process, and understand why we perceive value in something. This I think is going to help craft ultimately, even if you’d think it would be the opposite.”
The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2023 celebrated the diversity and innovation within contemporary craft, while highlighting the enduring fascination with the handmade and the blurring of boundaries between traditional and modern practices.
