As LOEWE enters a new chapter under the creative leadership of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the house reaffirms its long-held commitment to artistic expression and exceptional craftsmanship. That ethos is most vividly embodied in its annual prize and accompanying exhibition—an internationally acclaimed platform that honours cultural heritage while spotlighting the diversity, innovation and vitality of contemporary craft across the globe.
The ninth edition of the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize marks a significant milestone as the prestigious award makes its Southeast Asian debut in Singapore. Chosen from more than 5,100 submissions by both established and emerging artists, the 30 finalists—representing 19 countries and regions—were selected by an international panel of experts. Among them is Singaporean bookbinder Adelene Koh, who joins this year’s global shortlist.
Based in Tainan, Koh is an acclaimed book artist and conservator whose accolades include honours from London’s Bookbinding Competition and the International Open Set Competition. Recognised for her mastery of contemporary craft, she becomes only the second Singaporean to be shortlisted for the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize.
This year’s shortlist presents a multidisciplinary celebration of craft and cultural heritage, spanning ceramics and woodwork to textiles, furniture, glass, metal, jewellery and lacquer—each work reflecting the breadth and innovation shaping contemporary artisanal practice today.
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Incorporating elements of basketry, textile, dyeing and architectural construction, the shortlisted works spotlight the breadth of contemporary craft today. Koh’s sculptural piece Endless reimagines the traditionally concealed book endband as a continuous circular form, employing 18th-century embroidery techniques to transform a functional binding detail into a rhythmic, sculptural expression. Her work is presented alongside an abstract spectrum of practices—from woven, lattice-like forms rooted in multigenerational craftsmanship and multidimensional glass sculptures of striking versatility, to stately ceramic works distinguished by bold, contrasting colour palettes.
According to Sheila Loewe, President of the LOEWE Foundation, this year’s selection reads as a masterclass in the dialogue between time-honoured traditions and avant-garde innovation, unified by visionary technical mastery. “Bringing this exhibition to Singapore reflects the global dialogue at the heart of the Prize and our ongoing commitment to supporting artists at pivotal moments in their careers,” she adds. The decision further underscores the stature of National Gallery Singapore as a leading cultural destination—home to an extensive collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art, and consistently recognised among Asia’s most visited museums in recent years.
Anatxu Zabalbeascoa, Executive Secretary of the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize Expert Panel and architecture and design correspondent for El País, highlights how the collection “demonstrates how craft today moves fluidly between art and making, weaving together cultural perspectives, technological and pre-technological knowledge, and diverse approaches to material and form.”
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Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez will serve as first-time jury members for the Craft Prize, overseeing the selection of the winner and two special mentions. They will join a distinguished panel that includes architects Minsuk Cho, Frida Escobedo, Patricia Urquiola, and Wang Shu, architecture critic Deyan Sudjic, and Abraham Thomas, curator at The Met.
The National Gallery Singapore will host the finalists’ exhibition from 13 May to 14 June 2026, with the winner and special mentions announced on 12 May 2026. The winner will receive €50,000 (approx. S$74,600), while each special mention will receive €5,000 (approx. S$7,460).
This year’s edition of the Craft Prize also marks a new collaboration between the LOEWE Foundation and luxury hospitality group Belmond, offering three two-month artistic residencies. Hosted at La Residencia, a Belmond Hotel in Deià, Mallorca, the program subtly honours the Spanish cultural heritage at the heart of the fashion house’s origins.
The 2026 finalists of Loewe Foundation’s Craft Prize are:
- Baba Tree Master Weavers × Álvaro Catalán de Ocón (Spain)
- Jobe Burns (United Kingdom)
- Soohyun Chou (Republic of Korea)
- Morten Løbner Espersen (Denmark)
- Liam Fleming (Australia)
- Oskar Gustafsson (Sweden)
- Susan Halls (United Kingdom)
- Gjertrud Hals (Norway)
- Chia-Chen Hsieh (Taiwan)
- Adelene Koh (Singapore)
- Maria Koshenkova (Denmark)
- Jong In Lee (Republic of Korea)
- Somyeong Lee (Republic of Korea)
- Misako Nakahira (Japan)
- Fadekemi Ogunsanya (Nigeria)
- Jieun Park (Republic of Korea)
- Jongjin Park (Republic of Korea)
- Rafael Pérez Fernández (Spain)
- Dorothea Prühl (Germany)
- Kirstie Rea (Australia)
- Vivi Rosa (Brazil)
- Hervé Sabin (Haiti)
- Xanthe Somers (Zimbabwe)
- Coco Sung (Republic of Korea)
- Nobuyuki Tanaka (Japan)
- Graziano Visintin (Italy)
- Rayah Wauters (Belgium)
- Nan Wei (China)
- Jane Yang-D’Haene (United States of America)
- Ayano Yoshizumi (Japan)