Loewe Craft Prize Finalist Veronika Beckh On The Endless Creativity Of Craft
Berlin-based glassworker VERONIKA BECKH, one of the finalists of last year’s Loewe Craft Prize – an annual award hosted by the Spanish fashion maison, celebrating excellence and innovation across a range of applied arts – shares her artistic process, what kept her motivated throughout the pandemic, and why craft is as relevant today as ever
On her process
“Glass is a truly unique material. Its inherent characteristics are a constant source of inspiration, which made it my medium of choice. For me, working with glass means working with light, or ‘fluid light’. When I started my career, I was already fascinated with the manifold possibilities the material offered. But it was only through developing my expertise and precision – which took years of work – that I fully realized the creative possibilities that could open up when I concentrated on creating intricately worked surfaces.”
“When I started my career, I was already fascinated with the possibilities the material offered. But it was only through developing my expertise and precision… that I fully realized the creative possibilities…
”VERONIKA BECKH
On art and style
“I would say my style is plain, but with a reserved, elegant flair. Does my personal style relate to my artistic aesthetic? In the sense that they both have a focus on timelessness, yes. I love black and I wear a lot of black clothes, which I sometimes like to combine with a pop of color. With my artwork, I’m drawn to abstracted forms. I work with the inherent properties of glass, using gravity to guide the movement, texture and interplay between the colors. My process is full of movement, which translates into shape. This could be compared to sketching new fashion designs or draping on a mannequin to discover new shapes and combinations.”
“Craft brings beauty and the human touch to our modern world and connects us to a different time
”VERONIKA BECKH
On the importance of touch
“The tactility of material is of great importance to me – I have a fascination with touch. When I work at the furnace, I can only shape the hot glass with a wet, folded newspaper. However, during the cold-working process, I am often just working by hand on the surfaces. It’s only through the sensation of touch that I know when a piece is complete.”
On what craft means today
“For me, an object is precious when it leaves an impression. I guess some of my work is timeless, which is not necessarily intentional, but comes through my pursuit of simplicity. Craft brings beauty and the human touch to our modern world and connects us to a different time, which can be felt directly in the work.”
On the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize
“It was incredibly exciting to enter a competition with artists working in different disciplines from all over the world, but it was really the standard of everyone involved in the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize that attracted me. To be showcased amongst such renowned talent is obviously extremely appealing. Being one of the finalists was, of course, a fantastic achievement, and really encouraged me to continue my journey – especially throughout the pandemic. During this time, I’ve developed a new body of work that runs almost counter to my usual minimal style. I integrated color and, now, these objects speak to the fluid quality of hot glass.”
See Veronika Beckh’s work on her Instagram page and discover Loewe The Room
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