The finalists for The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize have been announced, and four glass artists — Veronika Beckh, Jiyong Lee, Jessica Loughlin, and Tobias Mohl — are among the 30 artists short-listed. This annual prize, offered since 2017, is sponsored by the European luxury fashion house Loewe, and seeks to recognize artists that have made "fundamentally important contributions to the development of contemporary craft." The prize was developed to celebrate the luxury-goods company's origins as a 19th-century collective craft workshop, and the company's creative director, Jonathan Anderson, is among the 12 jurors. Others include award-winning architects Wang Shu and Benedetta Tagliabue, as well as museum directors Naoto Fukasawa, Olivier Gabet, and Deyan Sudjic.
The term "craft" is explored and defined in detail with videos on their website. To evaluate submissions, the Loewe Foundation formed an "Experts Panel," which was tasked with creating the shortlist of finalists. Some the videos on the award's website explore whether a craftsman can be an artist among other topics that seek to bring an elevated discourse to the process. With a prestigious jury as well as a clear marketing angle (Loewe's handmade goods are pitched for their handmade excellence) the Loewe Craft Prize is presented as an award that recognizes work that is distinctively "craft art."
In an era when the boundaries between craft, art, design, and decorative art are being collapsed, the desire to explore terminology is surprising. The glass artists themselves, however, don't seem too concerned. While very excited to be included on the shortlist of finalists this year, many of those contacted by Glass see no difference between being identified as an artist or being a craft artist. Veronika Beckh, an artist who is deeply devoted to the glass medium, sees herself as "an artist who happens to work with glass."
According to finalist Jiyong Lee, "craft means art of making." Acknowledging the rich history of craft making, Lee explains, "the boundaries of art and craft expanded a lot in the modern and contemporary time that we live. We see many works are hybrids of both traditions, and we will see more of them in the future."
Though the tradition and process of craft are integral to the prize, so is innovation and newness. The glass artists shortlisted each display an exciting and innovative approach to glass making. Lee's highly geometric piece Mitosis (2019) was created by grinding and polishing optic glass. The translucent glass work was inspired by cell division. Bekh's Blackness (2018) uses its smooth black glass and concave shape to create a dynamic viewing experience, reflecting its environment. Inspired by Australia's deserts and salt lakes, Jessica Loughlin's Receptor of Light IX (2019) interacts with shifting light to create subtle shades of color that change with the light. Tobias Mohl's Black Twill Collection (2019) uses a Venetian glassblowing technique to create a series of objects that resemble leaves or feathers.
The prize for the winning piece is 50,000 euros. The winning entry along with the other finalists' work will also be on exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from May 21 to July 12 and will also be featured in an accompanying catalogue. When asked what they will do with the prize money, some of the artists expressed hope to invest the money back into their work.