The 52-year-old German was selected from among 26 finalists by a distinguished jury composed of leading figures from the worlds of design, architecture, journalism and museum curatorship.

Carving a distinct niche with his unique appreciation for wood, his work has proliferated across Europe, Asia, and America. Hewn from a massive 300-year-old oak uprooted during a storm, the large wooden containers that make up “Tree of Life 2” take their design cues from the forms, fissures, and fractures of the original tree. While careful carvings evince the artisan’s hand on the surface, the treatment of clay, earth, and stone powder combine with the wood’s natural tannic acid to give the objects a fitting organic finish. Replete with natural imperfections, these attributes eternalise the story of a fallen tree.

Reasserting the house’s long-standing commitment to creative excellence, the international Loewe Craft Prize showcases and celebrates the work of exceptionally talented artisans working in a range of craft-based professions.

Specifically, the Loewe Foundation aims to acknowledge works of craftsmanship that evince a clear artistic vision, precise execution, material honesty, a will to innovate, and the distinct hand of their author.

The new prize is an initiative of special significance to Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson. ‘Craft is the essence of Loewe. As a house, we are about craft in the purest sense of the word. That is where our modernity lies, and it will always be relevant.’ he explains.

“Craft is immensely important to me as an inspiration. So I wanted to create a platform to highlight things that are engineered by hand, by ceramists, basket-weavers, furniture designers, jewellery makers, and other people who work silently and are often under-appreciated. In reality, there is nothing harder than finding a way to make an object that has a formula of its own and speaks in the maker’s own language, creating a dialogue that didn’t exist before,” Anderson adds.

The winning work in Craft Prize 2017 is now on view in Madrid and will later travel to cities in Europe, Asia and the United States.