In a celebration of tradition and innovation, Japanese sculptor Kunimasa Aoki has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize for his striking terracotta piece Realm of Living Things 19. The announcement was made during a ceremony at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, where Aoki received a €50,000 prize for his work.
“Realm of Living Things 19” by the Japanese artist Kunimasa Aoki – Loewe
Crafted in 2024, Aoki’s award-winning sculpture showcases his mastery of anamorphic terracotta and ancestral coiling techniques. The piece underwent a meticulous process that included smoking, raw surface treatments, and delicate pencil markings, culminating in a form that reflects both technical complexity and poetic expression. According to Loewe, the sculpture stood out for its “honest expression of the ancestral coil process” and the way it allows the material to speak through its raw, unfinished state.
The jury praised the work for its bold use of natural forces—gravity, pressure, and time—to shape and distort the clay, creating a deeply textured surface that resonates with the unpredictability and fragility of life. “The element of risk in the firing process is a testimony to the tenacity and commitment it takes to make a sculpture such as this,” noted the jury.
Aoki, born in 1963, studied sculpture at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, later completing postgraduate work at its Graduate School of Art and Design. Prior to receiving this global recognition, he earned acclaim in Japan, including the Gold Prize at the 9th Japan Art Center Sculpture Competition in 2023.
Out of over 4,500 submissions from 132 countries and regions, Aoki was selected as the winner from a shortlist of 30 finalists by a 12-member international jury composed of architects, designers, curators, and critics. Notable jurors included architect Patricia Urquiola, Frida Escobedo, ceramicist Magdalene Odundo, architect Wang Shu, and Olivier Gabet, director of the decorative arts department at the Louvre Museum.
Two special mentions were also awarded. Nigerian designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello was recognized for TM Bench with Bowl, a functional sculpture crafted from reclaimed aluminum that reflects themes of globalization and consumerism. Indian studio Sumakshi Singh was honored for Monument, a life-sized textile reinterpretation of a 12th-century Delhi colonnade made using copper zari thread.
“This year’s finalists reflect the vast ingenuity and vision alive in the world of contemporary craft,” said Sheila Loewe, president of the Loewe Foundation. “Aoki’s sculpture, along with the other recognized works, transcends raw materials and speaks to a global audience about history, memory, and transformation.”
Launched in 2016 by then-creative director Jonathan Anderson, the Loewe Craft Prize was created to elevate craftsmanship within contemporary culture and to honor Loewe’s roots as a leather workshop founded in Madrid in 1846. Now owned by LVMH, Loewe has become a leading force in blending artisanal heritage with cutting-edge design. The annual prize has grown into a major platform for emerging and established artisans alike, with exhibitions hosted in cities including Paris, London, Seoul, New York, and Tokyo.
All 30 finalist works will be on display at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza until June 29. A digital version of the exhibition is also available online, offering global audiences a chance to witness the evolving language of craft in the 21st century.
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