See the Artwork That Clinched This Year's Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
Craft has always been at the heart of the house of Loewe since its inception in 1848. In 2016, the brand introduced the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, which represents its immense dedication to international craftsmanship, innovation, and design. Last night at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid, the finalists gathered for a presentation in front of Loewe's jury of experts, which consisted of past winners, critically acclaimed essayists, architectural designers, museum directors, and curators. The winner of the 2025 honors, and recipient of €50,000, is Kunimasa Aoki for his work 'Realm of Living Things.'
Aoki was one of 30 shortlisted artists—chosen from over 4,600 submissions across 133 countries—to compete in the final round. Based in Kawaguchi, Japan, Aoki originally studied at the Department of Sculpture at Musashino Art University in Tokyo before completing a postgraduate degree in art and design. His winning piece is a stunningly intricate sculpture made entirely from his signature medium, terracotta. Inspired by the accumulative effects of nature over time, he manipulated impeccably minute layers of clay through stacking and molding, creating a multidimensional pillar that seems to take on an organic life of its own. The result, from both up close and afar, has a remarkably hypnotic effect.
Special mention was given to artists Nifemi Marcus-Bello and Studio Sumaskhi Singh, who competed alongside Aoki. Marcus-Bello's piece, titled 'TM Bench with Bowl,' was inspired in part by his purchase of a secondhand car. Crafted from recycled sand-cast aluminum, the beautifully austere piece is a commentary on both contemporary African life and the waste inherent in modern design. The bench serves as a rebirth for the materials, offering people a space to gather and communicate.
For Studio Sumaskhi Singh's final piece, the collective—composed of Birendranath Sarkar, Samarjeet Samarjeet, Bikas Barman, and led by Singh—presented a woven masterpiece titled 'Monument.' The work is a replication of a column from the Qutb Minar Complex of the Delhi Sultanate medieval empire. Copper thread was meticulously woven through a soluble fabric that, when dissolved, revealed the piece's immensely fragile structure.
The exhibition at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum is open to the public from May 30–June 29. Tickets are free of charge and available online at museothyssen.org.
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