AFTER being postponed last year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Loewe Foundation has announced the opening of the fourth edition of its annual Craft Prize, set to launch on May 25.
In light of the restrictions recently put in place in France, the Craft Prize 2021 will be a digital-only affair and will feature works by 30 finalists across six continents and 18 different countries, making up the most global shortlist since the prize launched in 2016.
“Spanning textile, ceramic, porcelain, wood, copper, raisin, metal, paper, glass and lacquer, this exciting array of objects prove a mastery of the material, reimagine traditional techniques and display a brave willingness to experiment,” said the Loewe Foundation. “Many of the artists chosen this year use found and upcycled materials in their work, and concern for the natural world expressed through organic forms is an omnipresent theme.”
Owing to innovative digital technology, viewers will be able to virtually explore the exhibition set in the Great Hall of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which will be modelled for the first time in 3D. The works, which will also be in 3D, will be highlighted through high-definition 360 degree augmented reality, allowing visitors to examine each piece from the comfort of their homes.
The winner of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2021 will receive a €50,000 prize and will be decided upon by a jury composed of 12 leading figures from the world 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. The results will be announced on Loewe’s website and social media channels on May 25.
“This year’s prize is more international than ever and the shortlisted works show a conversation across continents and generations, with young and established makers embracing and reinvigorating tradition in surprising and masterful ways,” said Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, Executive Secretary of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize experts panel.
“We are seeing works of the highest cultural and aesthetic ambition, inspired by themes that reflect the state of the world. For all this, the plurality and openness of the Prize promise so much today and into the future.”
by Joshua Hendren