The winner of the 7th edition of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, which always seeks to celebrate innovation, excellence and artistic merit in contemporary crafts, was announced on 14 May at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. Selected from 30 finalist artists, Mexican ceramicist André Anza was awarded 50,000 euros for his work I only know what I have seen.

The jury, made up of thirteen emblematic figures in design, architecture, art criticism and museum curating, recognised in I only know what I have seen a dynamic composition and an intricate texture. The sculpture, built in glazed refractory clay, with thousands of small pointed protrusions covering its surface, evokes plant and animal forms. Like a quasi-human presence, simultaneously figurative and abstract, the work seems to twist and fold in on itself.

In addition to the prize winner, the jury also awarded three honourable mentions to artists Miki Asai, Emmanuel Boos and Heechan Kim. Artist Miki Asai was honoured for her work Still life, made up of three rings topped by small miniature vases. This still life-inspired work was praised for its intricate and monumental essence, as well as for its masterful use of lacquer and eggshell fragments. Emmanuel Boos was honoured for his Coffee Table ‘Comme un lego’, a coffee table made from porcelain bricks that can be individually removed from the structure. The jury emphasised, above all, the precision and fragility of the work, and the challenge it represents to the expectations surrounding utilitarian objects. For his part, artist Heechan Kim received an honourable mention for his work #16, a sculptural vase built using traditional boat-making techniques. This unique organic structure was selected for its masterful control of the material and for introducing a new language into contemporary geometry and architectural design.

The winning piece and all the finalist works are on display at the Palais de Tokyo until 9 June 2024. The exhibition is also available in digital format on the LOEWE Foundation website.Registration for the next competition opens in the autumn.