Ceramicist Andrés Anza beat out 29 other finalists.
Craftsmanship plays a huge role in Loewe’s ethos, whether it’s the looks shown on the runway to their engaging Salone del Mobile displays or their retrospective in Shanghai. The ultimate expression of this devotion to handiwork? The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, a prestigious award established in 2106 that celebrates innovation and creativity in art, is in honor of the house’s workshop that dates back to 1845. The brainchild of creative director Jonathan Anderson, it’s a chance to shed light on artisans across the world. “We are about craft in the purest sense of the world. That is where our modernity lies and it will always be relevant,” he said via the press release. Back in February, 30 finalists were selected from 3,900 submissions spanning 16 countries and working in different industries, including ceramics, woodwork, textiles, leather, and others. Today, they announced the winner, ceramicist Andrés Anza.
Anza was born in Mexico and attended the University of Monterrey. He first came into the spotlight after entering exhibitions at Galería Obra Negra in Mexico City. But it wasn’t until the 2015 Emerging Art Biennial in Monterrey, where he received an award for Encouragement to Create that his skill for ceramics was recognized. A year later, Anza was honored with his contribution to the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Biennial. For the Craft Prize, he skillfully produced a life-size sculpture with hundreds of protrusions. The realistic design caught the eye of the jury, as they noted how the sculpture pushed the boundaries of time, bringing a mix of ancient forms and present-day media into our world.
Along with Anza, there were three special mentions: Miki Asai, from Japan, a contemporary jeweler specializing in metal craft. The jury praised her work, Still Life, which consists of three sculptural rings intricately placed on top of one another, for its complex and skilled shape and exciting technique. French artist Emmanuel Boos, who is trained as a potter, was honored for his work, Coffee Table, comme un lego, a coffee table made of 98 hollow porcelain bricks. The last special mention was Heechan Kim, from Korea, who has a BFA in metal arts and jewelry from Seoul National University. His work #16, consists of a large sculptural vessel made of ash and copper wire that brings a geometric perspective.
This year’s 30 Loewe Craft Foundation Prize finalists, including Anza, will have their works showcased at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris from May 15 to June 9, offering a unique summer activity for art enthusiasts.
Andrés Anza, Alison Moses, Aya Oki, Miki Asai, Polly Adams Sutton, Kira Kim, Gaku Nakane, Luis Santos Montes, Patrick Bongoy, Ikura Sagara
