In an era where AI reshapes creative industries, traditional craftsmanship stands resilient. Artisans craft enduring pieces amid rapid technological advances, ensuring handmade works remain irreplaceable. Even in luxury sectors prioritizing innovation, the allure of tactile, human-made art persists. This recognition highlights how skilled makers preserve cultural legacies, with the 2026 Loewe Craft Prize underscoring Korean talents prominently.
Loewe Craft Prize: A Legacy of Excellence
Launched in 2016, the Loewe Craft Prize celebrates global craftsmanship, artistry, and innovation while discovering new talents. The 2026 edition reveals its finalists: 30 standout works from 133 regions and over 5,100 submissions worldwide.
These pieces span clay, wood, textiles, metal, fiber, glass, lacquer, bamboo, and more, judged on technique, concept, and originality.
Exhibition Details
The final exhibition runs from May 13 to June 14 at the National Gallery Singapore. General admission costs 1 SGD (about 50,000 KRW), with special passes at 2 SGD (5,000 KRW) available from May 12.
Sheila Loewe, chair of the Loewe Foundation, explains: “Craftsmanship offers a different perspective on mainstream luxury and fashion. This year’s finalists demonstrate how talent, expertise, technique, and creativity converge to redefine heritage. Hosting the show in Singapore reflects craft’s global expansion, emphasizing its central role in the art world.”
Korean Artisans Lead the Finalists
Korean creators claim a strong presence among finalists, showcasing innovative techniques and deep material mastery.
Jo Suhyeon: ‘Regenerated Pixels 3C1L’
Born in 1978, Seoul-based jewelry artist Jo Suhyeon blends metal craft with digital influences. A Seoul National University graduate in metal art and design, she now leads workshops and explores mold-based forms. Her finalist entry features two mold sets, promoting bold, flexible shapes that delve into corners and spaces. By embedding serene curves into sturdy layers and layering matte black patinas, the work evokes spatial relationships through geometric experimentation.
Lee Jeongin: ‘Baehulli’
Born in 1993, Seoul-based wood specialist Lee Jeongin entered woodworking via modern furniture design. Her finalist piece, a geometric bench from two gourd-like forms, balances single-block integrity with intuitive warmth. The top draws visitors in with spatial allure, while the sturdy base inspires seating. This design conveys spatial tension through unstable yet secure forms.
Yi Somyeong: ‘Wood Vessel Linkage,’ ‘001,’ ‘002’
Born in 1997, Seoul-based wood artist Yi Somyeong fuses steam-bending with metal. A Hongik University furniture design major, her works appear internationally, including Dutch Design Week. Her three finalist pieces layer thin wood slices with precise edges and textures, achieving completeness through material harmony. Subtle forms and structures create geometric visions, emphasizing wood’s inherent strength and portability.
Park Ji: ‘Thread of Circulation’
Born in 1980, Seoul-based metal craft educator Park Ji merges jewelry with fiber design. Award-winning internationally, her finalist features handmade sterling silver staples mimicking millet grains. Layered and voluminous forms integrate rhythm and proportion, conveying subtle rhythms through geometric intersections.
Park Jongjin: ‘Weight of Traces’
Born in 1982, ceramics instructor Park Jongjin at Ewha Womans University combines utility with design. Exhibiting globally, her duotone direct-fired vessel uses unglazed ceramics for a ceramic volume. Hand-formed clay slips coat interiors, refined through repeated firing for layered patinas and structures that highlight material uncertainty.
Seong Koko: ‘Grimja Doll Country’ (Optak, Liebero, Pupillove, Bongja, Pupsi)
Born in 1979, Seong Koko crafts from diverse backgrounds in sculpture and crafts. Her finalist series employs felt, collars, leather, silk, swarovski stones for direct, living humanoid figures. Merging soft collars with silk for skin-like textures, it embodies Korean storytelling through personality and presence.
