Mexican ceramic artist Andrés Anza wins Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2024
As the winner of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2024 was announced at Paris’ Palais de Tokyo on May 14, Mexican ceramic artist Andrés Anza received the prestigious award for his piece "I Only Know What I Have Seen" (2023). The prize, known for highlighting exceptional craftsmanship and creativity, saw 3,900 submissions this year, with 30 finalists from 16 countries.
Anza’s totemic ceramic work was praised by the jury, which included prominent figures from design, architecture, and journalism, for its blend of figurative and abstract elements, alongside its architectural precision. Actress Aubrey Plaza presented the award, which includes a €50,000 prize.
Anza’s piece, made from refractory clay, features an undulating surface adorned with thousands of spiked protrusions reminiscent of cacti or sea anemones. The artist enjoys how viewers interpret the organic forms differently, evoking curiosity and a sense of familiarity.
The exhibition of the finalists' works, held at the Palais de Tokyo, displayed an impressive range of artistic talent and techniques. This year, the Loewe prize focused on organic and biomorphic forms, created to push materials to their physical limits. Many of the works repurposed found or recycled materials to focus on the elevation and transformation of the everyday.
The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, established in 2016 by Loewe Creative Director Jonathan Anderson, aims to celebrate and support artisans worldwide. Anderson, a passionate collector of craft, emphasizes the importance of showcasing craftsmanship in its many forms.
