Kunimasa Aoki has been announced as the winner of the 2025 LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize for his terracotta sculpture Realm of Living Things 19 (2024). The international jury convened in Madrid to deliberate and select this year’s top honoree. The annual prize, now in its eighth edition, recognizes exceptional contemporary craft that bridges tradition, material exploration, and cultural commentary.
Award Highlights: Special Mentions in 2025 Craft Prize
Alongside Aoki’s winning work, the jury also granted two special mentions:
- Nifemi Marcus-Bello for TM Bench with Bowl (2023) – a sculptural piece created from reclaimed aluminum, exploring themes of globalization, trade, and power.
- Studio Sumakshi Singh for Monument (2024) – a poetic reinterpretation of a 12th-century colonnade, constructed from delicate copper zari threads, leaving only an ephemeral structure behind after the base dissolved.
What Is the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize?
Conceived in 2016 by Jonathan Anderson, LOEWE’s creative director, the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize celebrates innovation, technical mastery, and artistic vision in contemporary craft. First awarded in 2017, this foundation, led by Sheila Loewe, a passionate advocate for craft’s role in contemporary culture, spotlights creators who push the boundaries of traditional craftsmanship in new and meaningful ways.
Kunimasa Aoki: Merging Form and Spirit in Terracotta
Aoki’s Realm of Living Things 19 stands out for its tactile form and spiritual depth. Sculpted from terracotta, the piece exemplifies craftsmanship that invites viewers to look, feel, and contemplate the material’s essence. His approach reflects a deep reverence for both process and substance.
Spotlight on the Special Mentions
Nifemi Marcus-Bello – TM Bench with Bowl
Created from reclaimed aluminum sourced from the auto industry, this bench combines functionality with artistic expression. Its geometric lines and industrial aesthetic reflect on globalization and material reuse, bringing raw simplicity into thoughtful design.
Studio Sumakshi Singh – Monument
Singh’s ethereal Monument recreates a historic architectural column using copper zari on water-soluble fabric. Once dissolved, only the thread remains, symbolizing memory, fragility, and the passage of time. The jury praised its balance of structural presence and poetic impermanence.
Craft Prize 2025 Exhibition in Madrid
The 30 shortlisted works, including the winning and mentioned pieces, will be showcased at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid from May 30 to June 29, 2025. The exhibition will also be available online and documented in an official catalog, offering global access to this year’s exceptional submissions.
