Dahye Jeong Wins Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2022

South Korean artist Dahye Jeong (Jeju, 1989) won the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2022 for a basket made of horsehair using a 500-year-old technique previously thought lost. The jury included Magdalene Odundo, Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, Deyan Sudjic, Abraham Thomas, and Patricia Urquiola. Two special mentions were awarded: to Andile Dyalvane (1978, South Africa) for 'Cornish Wall,' a spiral terracotta vase made at Leech studio in St. Ives, UK, influenced by Xhosa and Cornish cultures; and to Julia Obermaier (1989, Germany) for 'Verborgen,' a jewelry piece redefining gem setting. All finalist works are exhibited at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA). The prize, conceived in 2016 by JW Anderson, artistic director of Loewe, celebrates contemporary craftsmanship. Loewe, founded in 1846 in Madrid by Spanish leatherworkers and later joined by Enrique Loewe from Hesse, Germany, has been part of LVMH since 1996. Its first Madrid store opened in 1905; now 150 stores worldwide generate €456.2 million in revenue (up 38% in 2021). In 2016, Loewe opened Casa Loewe Madrid, a 1,000 sqm flagship designed as a collector's home. During Milan's Salone del Mobile, Loewe presented 'Weave, Restore, Renew' featuring eleven artisan artists. The award aligns with growing Gen Z and Alpha interest in craftsmanship, sustainability, and inclusion, contrasting with competitors Gucci and Bottega Veneta (both Kering).