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Vietnamese Artist Lê Thúy Among Finalists for the 2025 LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize
Ivy Vu
- Fashion Blogger -
The LOEWE Foundation has officially announced the 30 finalists for the 2025 LOEWE Craft Prize, selected from over 4,500 entries representing 132 countries and regions. This year’s finalists come from 18 countries, working across diverse materials including ceramics, wood, textiles, furniture, paper, glass, metal, jewelry, and lacquer. Their works will be exhibited at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid from May 30 to June 29, 2025.
The LOEWE Foundation has officially announced the 30 finalists for the 2025 LOEWE Craft Prize, selected from over 4,500 entries representing 132 countries and regions. This year’s finalists come from 18 countries, working across diverse materials including ceramics, wood, textiles, furniture, paper, glass, metal, jewelry, and lacquer. Their works will be exhibited at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid from May 30 to June 29, 2025.
One of the standout finalists is Vietnamese artist Lê Thúy, whose lacquer art piece “Time” has captured attention for its deeply evocative storytelling and exceptional craftsmanship.
The LOEWE Craft Prize: A Celebration of Mastery and Innovation
Founded in 2016 by Jonathan Anderson, the LOEWE Craft Prize honors outstanding craftsmanship, highlighting the intersection of traditional skills, modern innovation, and artistic vision. Each year, the exhibition showcases works that redefine contemporary craftsmanship, demonstrating how artisans transform both precious and non-precious materials through time-honored techniques and cutting-edge technologies.
A prestigious jury of 13 experts in design, architecture, journalism, criticism, and museum curation will evaluate the finalists and select one winner, who will be awarded €50,000. The grand prize winner will be revealed on May 29, 2025, at the exhibition’s opening ceremony in Madrid.
Lê Thúy and “Time”: A Tribute to Hanoi’s Lost Trees
Representing Vietnam, artist Lê Thúy has earned a spot among the 30 finalists with her deeply moving lacquer artwork, “Time”—a trio of pieces titled “Clock Pendulum 1,” “Clock Pendulum 2,” and “Clock Pendulum 3.”
Her work draws inspiration from the devastating loss of 6,700 ancient trees in Hanoi, a significant environmental and cultural event. Using Vietnam’s traditional lacquer techniques, she creates a powerful visual narrative that mourns the irreversible destruction of nature while celebrating the resilience of time.
Each piece features tree rings—symbolizing the passage of time—painted in richly colored lacquer reminiscent of clock faces. The surfaces are meticulously crafted using layered lacquer, raw cotton, sawdust, and mud, which are built up, sanded, and polished to achieve a seamless finish.
To enhance the depth and texture, the final layers incorporate crushed eggshells, mother-of-pearl inlays, gold leaf, silver leaf, natural pigments, and tree resin lacquer, creating a mesmerizing interplay of materials and reflections.
Preserving Tradition, Honoring Nature
Lê Thúy’s masterful use of lacquerware is deeply rooted in Vietnamese heritage, a craft that dates back centuries. The labor-intensive process involves repeated layering, drying, sanding, and polishing—a method that requires extraordinary patience and precision.
By incorporating natural materials and traditional techniques, she bridges past and present, ensuring that Vietnam’s lacquer artistry continues to evolve while addressing contemporary environmental concerns. Her work is not only an homage to craftsmanship but also a poignant environmental statement, reminding us of the delicate balance between nature and human intervention.
Why the LOEWE Craft Prize Matters
Beyond its generous financial award, the LOEWE Craft Prize offers unparalleled global recognition for contemporary artisans. It provides a platform for traditional and modern craft techniques, encouraging cross-cultural exchange and innovation.
For artists like Lê Thúy, being a finalist is a career-defining moment, showcasing her work on an international stage alongside some of the most skilled artisans in the world.
The exhibition at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum will allow visitors to experience firsthand the craftsmanship, vision, and storytelling that define today’s most innovative makers.
As contemporary art continues to blur boundaries between design, craft, and sustainability, events like the LOEWE Craft Prize reaffirm the importance of preserving artisanal skills while pushing the limits of creative expression.
With her work “Time”, Lê Thúy has not only brought Vietnamese lacquerware into the global spotlight but also delivered a deeply personal and universal message about memory, loss, and resilience.
The question now remains: Will her extraordinary craftsmanship earn her the prestigious LOEWE Craft Prize? The answer will be revealed on May 29, 2025.
