Every year, the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize is awarded to one lucky artisan who receives $50,000 along with the distinction of winning. This year, 30 finalists are competing for the big award, a number whittled down from 2,700 entries from 117 different countries. The jury is made up of 13 members, among them Abraham Thomas (curator of modern architecture, design, and decorative arts at the Metropolitan Museum), Olivier Gabet (director of the Louvre’s art department), the architect Wang She, and the architect Patricia Urquiola. The winner is announced on May 16, and on May 17 the entries of all 30 finalists will be on view for a month at the Noguchi Museum, in New York. According to Loewe, the designs “examine the relationship between light, material and surface.” —Elena Clavarino