LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize 2019 Shortlist Reveals 29 International Artists

The LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize 2019 has unveiled a shortlist of 29 artists, selected from over 2,500 submissions across more than 100 countries. This year's finalists include both established figures and emerging practitioners working in diverse craft media. Jonathan Anderson, LOEWE's creative director who launched the prize in 2016, emphasized craft as the brand's core identity, stating it represents the house's modernity. A distinguished jury will select the winner, with members including Anatxu Zabalbeascoa as chairwoman, architects Benedetta Tagliabue and Wang Shu, designer Naoto Fukasawa, and LOEWE Foundation honorary president Enrique Loewe. The shortlisted artists hail from numerous countries, with significant representation from Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, and the United States. Artists such as Akiko Hirai, Junko Mori, and Kazuhito Takadoi are among those based in the UK, while others like Kye-Yeon Son work in Canada and Michal Fargo in Germany. The winner will be announced on 25 June 2019 at an exhibition opening in Tokyo, where all finalists' works will be displayed at Isamu Noguchi's indoor stone garden 'Heaven' in the Sogetsu Kaikan. The recipient will receive a €50,000 award.