The annual award is set to take place wherever you may find yourself. Following France’s recent Covid-19 restrictions, the Loewe Foundation and Musée des Arts Décoratifs will be holding this year’s postponed edition online. A digital-only exhibition featuring the works of 30 finalists will open on May 25th, and the winner is set to be announced the same day.

This year’s roster is expected to be nothing short of impressive. Narrowed down from a whopping 2,929 submissions, the ultimate lineup makes up some the best talent in contemporary craft and representing the prize’s most global shortlist, with artists from all 6 continents and across 18 countries. Extending from textiles, ceramic, porcelain, wood and copper, to resin, paper, glass and lacquer, this exciting range of objects display a mastery of material, offering new interpretations of traditional techniques and a commendable drive to work in the unfamiliar. Concern for the natural world is a common theme in many of the pieces, as the artists share a concern for the natural world, expressed through the use of found and upcycled material, and organic forms.

Fashion’s darling designer, Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe, launched the annual prize in 2016 with an intention to celebrate excellence, and innovation in modern craftsmanship. The award aims to champion the vitality of artistry in current culture and spotlight working artists whose mastery and avant-garde vision promise to break-free of current conventions and boundaries.

Held via virtual exhibition, the event will essentially be entirely modelled in 3D. Viewers will be able to “walk” around the showing in the Great of the Paris museum, and view the works in high definition 360 degree ‘close-up’ filming and augmented reality.

Finalists for the 2021 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, were decided by a panel of 10 experts over two days in Madrid. “We are seeing works of the highest cultural and aesthetic ambition, inspired by themes that reflect the state of the world,” said Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, Executive Secretary of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Experts Panel. “For all this, the plurality and openness of the Prize promises so much today and into the future.”

A jury of 12 leading figures from the realms of architecture, fashion, design and art, including Olivier Gabet, Director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris and Genta Ishizuka winner of the 2019 edition, will select the winner who will receive the €50,000 prize.

The exhibition will open online May 25th, on  https://craftprize.loewe.com/. See below for a full list of this year’s finalists:

Afsaneh Modiramani (Iran)
Anthony Marsh (United States)
Bodil Manz (Denmark)
Carla Garcia Durlan (Spain)
Darshana Raja (Kenya)
David Corvalán (Chile)
Despo Sophocleous (Canada)
Edu Tarín (Germany)
Fanglu Lin (China)
Hyejeong Kim (Republic of Korea)
Jack Doherty (Ireland)
Jess Tolbert (United States)
Jessica Loughlin (Australia)
Jiyong Lee (United States)
Joël Andrianomearisoa (Madagascar)
Kevin Grey (United Kingdom)
Kohei Ukai (Japan)
Kyeok Kim (Republic of Korea)
Marc Ricourt (France)
Naama Haneman (Israel)
Peter Bauhuis (Germany)
Sukkeun Kang (Republic of Korea)
Sungho Cho (Republic of Korea
Sungyoul Park (Republic of Korea)
Takayuki Sakiyama (Japan)
Tobias Møhl (Denmark)
Veronika Beckh (Germany)
Waqas Khan (Pakistan)
Xavier Toubes (Spain)
Yang Gao (China)