Loewe Craft Prize 2026 Has A Winner
The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2026 has crowned its winner in Singapore, with South Korean ceramicist Jongjin Park taking home the top prize for a striking porcelain work that transforms folded paper into something unexpectedly monumental.
You’ve heard the news — the finals of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2026 (only one of the world’s most prestigious craft awards) is being held right here in Singapore for the first time. Opening tomorrow till June 14 at the National Gallery Singapore, the ninth edition of the Loewe Foundation’s signature event saw more than 5,100 submissions pouring in from 133 countries; their mediums stretching across ceramics, woodwork, textiles, furniture, bookbinding, glass, metal, jewellery and lacquer.
As you might imagine, whittling that massive list of entries down to just 30 finalists was a strenuous process. “Everyone (from the jury and advisory panel) comes from such a different background, with a different approach to how they judge a work,” says Loewe co-creative director Jack McCollough.
“Some people base it more on materiality and the making of something. Others focus more on the backstory, or the story the artist is trying to tell. Others come from a more cultural perspective. It’s interesting to hear everyone’s thoughts, and then we all have to come together. There’s no right or wrong decision. It was quite heated at times, but I was super happy with the final results. There was quite a nice range of mediums at the end of the day. It wasn’t all ceramics. It was a really interesting mix of craftspeople.”
This morning, the Craft Prize’s 13-person jury announced the winner: South Korean ceramicist Jongjin Park, who takes home the €50,000 (around S$74,900) prize for his work Strata of Illusion.
South Korean ceramicist Jongjin Park won the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2026 for Strata of Illusion, a sculptural porcelain work made from layers of folded paper coated in porcelain, and compressed into a dense, architectural form.
At first glance, Park’s winning piece looks almost like a warped bench or architectural fragment caught mid-collapse. But up close, the work reveals itself as something far stranger and more meticulous — layers upon layers of folded paper coated in porcelain slip, stacked and compressed by hand into a dense ceramic form. Rather than smoothing away imperfections, Park preserves every crease, fold and compression, allowing the physical traces of the making process to remain fully visible on the surface.
A closer look at the rich texture of Park’s winning entry.
“I think it was the innovation (shown by Park),” says acclaimed architect and jury member Frida Esobedo. “Many of us have never seen porcelain used in that way. It has the true characteristics of porcelain, but at the same time it completely changes the way we perceive it. It looks like paper, but still fragile and massive at the same time. To me, what was really beautiful is that you could see the execution in the handling — the folding of the paper. You could see how it was being constructed, like a weaving process. It was telling a story of personal investigation with the material, and you can see it in the piece itself. It was very surprising, and at the same time the execution is beautiful.”
It’s exactly the kind of work the Craft Prize has become known for rewarding — pieces that push traditional craftsmanship into entirely new territory while remaining deeply rooted in material experimentation and technical skill.
Special mention recipient Alvaro Catalan de Ocon and his work Frafra Tapestry, created in collaboration with Baba Tree Master Weavers
The jury also agreed on two special mentions, who each received €5,000 (or S$7,490): Ghanaian collective Baba Tree Master Weavers in collaboration with Spanish designer Alvaro Catalan de Ocon, were recognised for Frafra Tapestry. Made between Ghana and Madrid, the large woven piece is based on aerial photos of a village in the Gurunsi region. It brings together traditional basket-weaving in elephant grass with modern design planning tools. The jury praised how it fuses old craft knowledge with contemporary methods, while quietly preserving the memory of a disappearing way of life.
Italian maker Graziano Visintin and his jewellery-based submission, Collier, was one of the special mention recipients.
The other recipient of the special mention award was Italian maker Graziano Visintin, who was recognised for his jewellery-based submission Collier. Comprising two necklaces made from tiny gold cubes finished using niello, an ancient technique where a black metallic alloy is filled into metal to create contrast. The jury noted how he reworks a historic process into something contemporary, creating a surface that feels like rows of miniature paintings threaded together into jewellery.
All 30 shortlisted works will be on display at the National Gallery Singapore from May 13 to June 14, 10am - 7pm daily, offering a rare chance to see just how expansive — and experimental — contemporary craft has become.